Maybe its a love story
by ToBeWinged
Summary: Fang and Max, Iggy and Ella all live together since Dr M adopted the boys. they've known each other since they were kids, is this just sibling love or is it something more. Fax, possible Eggy. All human.
1. Bringing home the new kids

**-Dr. M.'s POV-**

The man handed me the files. You'd think working at an orphanage would corrupt your personality, you'd get fed up and hate children, but this man regardless of his age was still as lovely as ever.

"Alright," he said in a calm, organised tone "here are the files of all the four year old males in our care"

"Thank you" I said to the tubby man as he handed me the files. There were only a few, maybe five or six, but he insisted I take them home. As I searched through the pile I saw some glimpses of various children's descriptions, none of them seemed to be too bad.  
I smiled kindly at the tubby man as I exited his office.

"Mummy, Mummy!" Max pounced on me. Max was my three year old daughter; I was here because of her. "Did you get me a brother yet?"

Max was unlike any other girl, especially her sister Ella. It was almost as if they weren't related. Ella was older than Max by a year, but she was shy, innocent and so angelic. Max however, was stubborn, boyish, jumpy and strong-headed. She had a sister yet she wanted a brother. I couldn't have any more children and so Max forced me here. And to think she was only three, this girl got whatever she wanted, even if it meant doing it herself.

"No sweetie, I'm taking these papers home and I'll have to read over them."

Max pouted and folded her tiny arms in frustration. "I want a brother now."

I sighed. "Where's Ella?"

Max pointed to the far wall, where Ella had dragged over a chair and seated herself in the corner. That was just like Ella, always moving away from the crowds and the people. It was very unlike a four year old to be so _reserved_, but I didn't mind, she made friends easily and was quite sociable. It was Max I was worried about.

"Let's go Mummy! You too Ella, move your tooshy. The faster you read the faster I get a brother!" Max shouted from the car as she jumped in the backseat. Yep, it was definitely Max I was worried about.

I flicked on the lamp and spread the paper work out across the kitchen table.

Andrew, Ben, Peter, Nick and James.

On a separate piece of paper I wrote down the description of the four year old boy that I wanted. I wanted him to be friendly, not too shy like Ella or too head-strong like Max. I preferred him to be playful and lovable with friends and excepting of my girls. For some reason it made me uncomfortable to think of bringing a strange boy into my house with my girls so young...but they were only four, the worst that could happen would be a fight over a teddy bear.

I heard the soft tapping of bare feet on the upstairs floor boards. Turning around I saw my little Ella dragging her tiny feet across the floor and rubbing her tired eyes. "Mummy..." she mumbled with a pout on her too cute face. Slowly she walked down the stairs and crawled into my lap. I brushed aside her brown hair and kissed her forehead. She smiled as she rested her head against my chest and looked at the files. "Which one is my brother?" she asked slowly.

"I have to read them first" I said to her.

"Can I help?" she asked with a brilliant smile on her face. She leaned over the papers and immediately pointed to James. "This one." She said triumphantly. He had blonde hair and hazel eyes. His description said he was partially blind, but he was a truthful boy and had a very unique personality. Always helpful, especially in the kitchen and was a very generous child; sharing with his friends as much as possible.  
And Ella couldn't even read. How had she picked such a remarkable person, much like herself?

"Why do you want him to be your brother?" I asked her. Her cheeks seemed to flush a shade of beautiful pink and she looked down at his picture again. "I think he's pretty" she whispered.

I laughed. She was four and was in love with an orphan she hasn't even met. I knew not to take this too seriously.

A thud came from upstairs and Ella and I spun around to see Max jumping two stairs at a time. She looked at me with a proud grin "I founded a way to get down faster" she said as she jumped the last two steps.

"You could hurt yourself, Max" I warned her in a maternal tone.

"No I won't. I don't get hurt."

"You're a liar" Ella chimed in

"No I'm not!"

"That's enough girls. Max, Ella picked a brother-"

"Without me?"

"I'm asking you to tell me your opinion" I said in an even tone. Max calmed down and pulled up a chair looking at the photos of all five boys. "I choosed this one" Ella said pointing to James. Max studied him. Taking in his hair, his eyes and his cute boyish smile.

"He's ok" she said "But I like this one" she pointed to a different boy. His hair was messy, it was black and swished in all directions, Nick's eyes were dark and intense for a small boy. His smile looked older for his age and was almost like that of a smirk, as if he was about to pull a practical joke on the photographer. I frowned as I read his description. Silent, likes to be left alone, when encountered finds ways to avoid conversation, he remains quiet in groups but always seems to be planning ahead. He seemed like a trouble maker.

"Are you sure, Max?"

"Yuh huh" she said with a confident smile.

Personally I believe Ella made a better decision. This boy didn't seem like the type I would want around my children as they grow up. Especially Max.

"Ok," I said rubbing my eyes "off to bed, both of you."

Ella and Max raced each other up the stairs as I looked over the files one more time. I was going to need to make the right decision for my girls when I bring this child home.

Nick and James walked in holding hands. Nick proceeded to open the door slowly as he took a little peek at us before opening the door further. Slowly he walked into the room with James clinging to his arm. Once in the room the two boys shrank up against the wall and stared at us with fear. The tubby man coughed nervously "James, this is Valencia Martinez. She wanted to meet you in person."

James slowly took a step forward still clinging onto Nicks arm; he hesitated then continued to walk slowly over to me.

"I thought I was just meeting James" I whispered to the tubby man.

"Well you see, James and Nick are very good friends. Almost brothers in fact, so wherever Nick goes, James follows, or vice versa"

"Oh, is it because he's..."

"No, No. It has nothing to do with his disability to see, they're just inseparable, I guess."

"Oh" this was going to be a problem then...

Nick slowly took a step towards me and gently pulled James along. James then moved in front of Nick and felt around for my hand. Once he found it he smiled and gave it a little squeeze. Nick watched, almost in fascination, at how James could take my hand and not flinch at the touch of it. Slowly Nick reached out and held my hand as well, he turned it this way and that, then, as if satisfied, looked up at me and gave me a toothy grin. My heart skipped at the sight of this, it was just so adorable.

"I think they like you" the tubby man said proudly "come boys, have a seat"

The two boys crawled up to the couch and sat there as the tubby man took his own seat and gestured for me to take the seat opposite the table. "So you've read the files?"

"Yes, I have. Nick's file wasn't as long as the others though"

"Oh yes. I'm sorry we gave you that, Nick is five you see, he was supposed to be in a different folder."

"Oh...well, I like them both, they seem very attached and I don't want to ruin that bond so..."  
_don't say it, maybe you'll regret it later...no, no I have to keep them together, splitting up children this young is wrong. _I took a deep breath. "I would like to adopt them both please."

The tubby man seemed ecstatic "Oh! Well, that's wonderful! Marvellous!" He turned to the boys "Did you hear that? You're both off to a new home!"

The boys exchanged glances.

"Like...a mummy?" James said slowly

"Yes, yes. And two sisters, isn't it wonderful?"

"Yucky. Girls are yucky." Nick said frowning.

"No, they are very nice girls." The tubby man insisted

"What are their names?" James asked

"My eldest is Ella, she's four and the other is Max, she's three"

"Max is a boy's name" Nick said smiling brightly "I like it"

"What do they look like?" James asked

"What colour is my room?" Nick quickly interrupted

"Now, now boys, we have to get you settled in first" the tubby man turned to me "Are you ready?"

I smiled lovingly at the two little ragged looking boys that will soon be a part of my family. "I can't wait."


	2. Just a family

**OKAY! So the story starts. **

-Max's POV-

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock yelling at me to get up.

I raised my hand and sent in plummeting towards my bedside table, in a matter of seconds I heard that familiar ear-splitting sound of dying alarm clock. Ah music to my ears.

I grunted to myself and rolled over, hoping to bury my face in my pillow and sleep in the rest of the day. But, being me, I rolled the wrong way and fell with a thud onto my floor dragging pillows and blankets with me.

"Max?" I heard Ella call from my door "you have to get up, I'm leaving early. Iggy is downstairs making breakfast, 'Kay?"

I grunted from underneath my lovely grave of linens. I lay there for a while trying with everything I had to stay awake.

"Max. Get up!" Ella stomped over to me and kicked my side.

I threw my blankets at her in frustration as she ran out of my room screaming. Walking towards my wardrobe I avoided my mirror for the fear of seeing a grumpy morning zombie with drowsy eyes and nightmarish hair flying in all directions. Mornings were always just so..._nice._

"Hurry up, Max!" Ella called again laughing.

"Yeah, yeah. Gimme a sec." I moaned as I started to strip off my PJ's and change into my uniform.

Because, you know, I'm all about cooperation.

So yeah, hi. I'm glad you got to meet me in the morning _in my best state._ Note the sarcasm. My name is Max, as you've gathered and Ella is my older sister, as you've also gathered. My two brothers, Nick and James, were adopted. Why am I explaining, you already know this stuff. Well when they arrived at our house we gave them about a week then we began bombarding them with nicknames. I don't know why...but Nick is now known as Fang and James, Iggy. So yeah, just thought I'd clarify that.

"Hey sleepy head" Iggy called as he sat the pancakes on the table.

"Unh" I groaned sleepily as I sat down and began devouring my pancakes. Mmm chocolate chip pancakes...heaven. "Thanks Ig, these are awesome" I said with my mouth full. Because I'm all about manners.

Fang was lounging around on the couch in the living room with his earphones glued to his ears. Ever since the two boys came and joined our family, we had to renovate our old home continuously and then my mum just got sick of it and moved us all into a new house. Big, two storey, six rooms: One for each of us and then a spare for god-knows-who-would-want-to-spend-a-night-with-this-family.

Which made me think..."where is mum?" I asked Iggy

"She went to drop off Ella at school early."

Oh, right. She probably wanted to sit in the library before school started. Sometimes I went with her, I liked the isolation the library provided, but Ella had to get up really early if she wanted to catch it empty. Me? Well...we know from this morning's little episode that I obviously can't do that. Fang plopped down on the seat next to me and yawned. He still had his IPod on so he probably wouldn't hear me if I shouted. Instead I wacked him. Why? Morning ritual.

"Ow" he groaned as he removed his earphones and rubbed his arm. Fang was the oldest, he was eighteen, Iggy and Ella were in the middle, both of them were seventeen and I was the youngest, which _really _got on my nerves. I was sixteen, oh sweet sixteen. More like...horrible, stressful, no good, very bad full of _high school_ and work and boys and did I mention _high school_?

"Throw me a pancake, Ig" Fang said as he put his forehead down on the table. Oh Iggy threw it all right...he threw it well. It landed on Fang's plate which was right next to Fang's head. So it splattered a little and I laughed and then Fang wacked me and then Iggy laughed and I glared and then I mentally wacked myself. Iggy was blind, another wasted glare.

"So how was last night?" I asked Fang as he wiped his face. Fang, being in year 12, had a party last night. Which seemed like loads of fun since he came back wasted.

"Yeah man, are you still hung over?" Iggy asked.

"It was last night of course I'm hung over." And then he turned to me "don't drink, understand?"

Oh yeah, way to set an example.

"She gets drunk on fanta, you don't have to worry" Iggy said with a laugh

I yawned and placed my plate in the sink before I walked upstairs to get organised.

"Ah shit" Fang moaned "we have school don't we?"

He was cute when he was tired. I did not just say that.

**Tell me if you like**

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	3. School is a hell hole

**I promise we'll get to the fax soon, sorry its taking so long**

**Ok so I made Max the youngest and Fang the oldest because I feel like older guys are always the overprotective ones...i don't know why: p**

**Also in this story Dylan wasn't an asshole. Maybe later we'll corrupt him. **

**Oh and thanks for all the reviews. I appreciate it a lot!**

School is a hell hole. It's always been a hell hole and it will always remain a hell hole. Do I make myself clear? Right now for instance, my math teacher is trying to make math's fun. Math...fun. I'm sorry, but those two words are never supposed to be allowed in the same sentence. I hereby make that a law. I groaned and let my head fall onto the desk. I felt the cool surface press up against my check as the teacher continued to drone on and on and on and on

"Max?"

Who was that?

"Maximum?"

God, what an annoying voice

"Max?"

"Go away" I muttered

"Excuse me?"

Oh shit. I mentally wacked myself. _Go away? _Are you serious! To a teacher...a teacher who has the authority to chuck me out of the classroom. My mind clicked, like this little fairy thing had been making a bomb and _only now _decided to set it off.

"I said go away" I repeated to the teacher with a tiny smile. I think maybe I had fallen asleep because I only just became aware of how sore my neck was and how bruised my check felt.

"Could you repeat that Miss Martinez?"

I sighed. Teachers must be either stupid or deaf. In my case, this teacher was definitely both.

"I said go away" I repeated for the third time putting strong emphasis into my words.

"To the principal's office, Max. Now." The teacher demanded, was that anger I heard in her voice, why yes, I believe it was. I allowed myself a tiny smile. That fairy really deserved a cookie.

The teacher pushed me outside the classroom and pointed down the hall. "Yeah" I thought sarcastically, "Like I don't know where the principal's office is." I smiled as I walked down the hall to my most visited place in the school. I let out a sigh of relief; I'm out of that math infested hell hole. Finally!

A couple of chairs lined the wall beside the door to the principal's office and who might I see sitting in said chairs? Fang, that's who, he gave me a bright smile as I took a seat next to him. "What did you do now, lil' miss?" He said trying not to laugh.

"I can't remember" I said thoughtfully "I think I fell asleep"

"Was it in Math?" he asked

"Yup" I smiled at him and how he knew me too well. As I stared I noticed how his hair seemed to fall carelessly over his forehead when he looked down at me. Heat rose to my cheeks. What the...was I...no, no I am not blushing!

"What did you do?" I asked nervously. I am not blushing. I turned away...just in case I was.

"I've been sitting here since lunch, Ella had a little problem with a group and I just thought I'd help my little sister." He said grinning like a moron...a very good looking moron. No! Bad Max!

We were quiet for a while. It wouldn't have been awkward, but since I'm thinking lovely thoughts about Fang, it was awkward for me.

"Mr Martinez?" the principal said as he opened his door and let out Dylan.

"Yup" Fang said with sigh as he lifted himself out of his chair. We exchanged glances and I gave him a little smile telling him to have his fun with Mr Ray. You see, Mr Ray is cool. He knows Fang and I quite well. We've known each other since the first day of school, seriously, I was a stubborn kid. I won't say I've changed much.

"Hi Max"

I spun my head around and saw Dylan. Dylan was a friend of mine. He doesn't usually get in trouble, but I guess if you hang out with me some of my stubbornness and idiocy kind of rubs onto to you.

"Oh hey" I smiled "what were you in for?"

He shrugged "you know when you squeeze tomato sauce too hard it squirts..."

I tried not to laugh, but as his smile grew bigger it was hard for me to hold it in, so in the end we both exploded.

"I kind of sort of maybe accidently on purpose got some all over Rebecca and her crew"

Rebecca was one of the spoilt girls at our school, she wasn't liked by many of the students, but she had her own group. The teachers liked her though, they had no choice.

"Nice going" I said in between breathes. We slapped high fives and then something happened...his hand kind of just lingered there, we both stopped laughing and looked up at our hands.

Oh shit, Max. The heat rose to my face again and I tried to pull my hand away, but his fingers had other ideas. They entwined into mine and gave my hand a gentle tug, next thing you know I'm being pulled towards Dylan's chest and he's pulling me closer still. I don't know what to do because it kind of feels good. The heat continued to rise, yep, I was definitely blushing, damn stupid hormones. Dylan lowered our still entwined hands and wrapped it around my waist just as Fang came out of the room with Mr Ray. My head turned and I saw Fang staring at how close Dylan and I were. I pulled away from Dylan's hands and backed away nervously. Mr Ray gestured for me to enter his office and then he walked back inside and sat at his desk. Fang didn't move, he looked from me to Dylan and back. I lowered my head as he walked past me and towards his car outside. I felt Dylan walk up behind me "sorry" he whispered.

"It's ok," I said "I better go..."

"Yeah ok, I'll wait for you outside."

"Actually-"

"Max?"

I cursed Mr Ray for interrupting, but I walked into his office and shut the door. Because, you know that's just me, I'm all about privacy. As you can _tell. _

"Do you understand what you did wrong?" he asked staring at me intently

"Yes"

"Why did you do this?"

"The class was boring"

Mr Ray sighed and proceeded to give me a lecture about how I can't choose when something should be fun, but rather keep an open mind and except the fact that it's a worthwhile class. I nodded the entire time thinking about Dylan and Fang. Stupid hormones. Stupid teenagers. Stupid hot sexy gorgeous teenagers...

"Max?"

My head shot up so fast I swear I heard something crack.

"I'm going to send you home for the afternoon and call your parents. This behaviour isn't tolerated in my school. You can go now, say hello to your mother for me."

And I left that room as fast as a panther on ecstasy.

"So how'd it go?"

I jumped "Oh, Dylan" I said with a sigh. Then my heart rate sped up as I realised it was _Dylan._ He smiled and seemed to be oblivious to the fact that I wanted to run away and hide for the rest of my life.

"So?" he asked again

"Oh err, yeah he's sending me home for the rest of the day" I said hurriedly as I backed up. My hands met something cold and hard. Damn it, a wall. And Dylan was still walking towards me. "Was there...anything else?" I asked trying to slide away from him.

"No, I was just thinking..."

If it was possible for my brain to scream I think it would choose this moment to do so.

"You don't have a boyfriend or anything, do you?"

Ok maybe it would choose this moment...

"Um...not at the moment" I squeaked "do boys in books count?"

Stupid. STUPID! Note: When picking up a date saying that is NOT recommended! I mentally wacked myself.

"Max?"

Oh thank heavens its Fang. Actually...scratch that. It's _Fang. _The gods wanted to save me and so they brought the one person that is capable of making my situation worse. Thank you god thanks a lot.

"Oh, F- Nick. Hi..." I smiled; at least I think it turned out as a smile.

Fang raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. "Why aren't you in class?"

"Mr Ray sent me home for the afternoon."

"Good" He said glaring at Dylan "I'll drive you home"

I nodded still pressed up against the wall with my cheeks the colour of a baboons butt.

"So, Max?" Dylan asked still looking at me

"Shut Up, Dylan" Fang growled. I was shocked, Fang hardly ever gets angry

Dylan ignored him. Not a wise move. "Are you free this Saturday?"

"No" Fang looked as if he'll attack Dylan's throat any second "She's not"

"But-"I started. Fang looked at me and I froze. His eyes were pleading.

"I'll see you tomorrow then" Dylan said nervously as he saw Fang holding my gaze in his.

"Bye" I said absent minded

Fang and I walked silently to his car and I noticed how every few steps he would gaze down at me nervously. I thought back to the look in his eyes. Why did they look so desperate? Pleading me to say no to Dylan. Fang doesn't plead, it's not his style.

Why did he care?

And then I caught myself. Why did_ I_ care?

**Ok so now I think we'll start getting to the good bits...  
But I'm gonna be going to school tomorrow so I think my life's gonna be a little hectic now. Please be patient I'll try fit in a couple of chapters during the week. **


	4. Pizza

**Hello all you awesome readers. Before I start, I would just like to say that school sucks and that Math is stupid and horrible and should die a long, slow painful death. **

**Ok, well thank you all so much for your reviews. I was on a super high after I read them; seriously my mum was looking at me like WTF. **

**I put a little Fang's POV at the end for Anonymous revie****wer: ****AlwaysWatching. Coz i like Fangs POV too, but this one is a little fluffy, maybe later I'll give you guys some humour that goes on in Fangs head. Coz he has lots of random thoughts when he's not thinking about Max. Anyway this A/N has gone for too long so I'm gonna stop now...**

**OH OH OH! Thanks for reviewing! I is happy! I just thought I'd say that...Ok now I'll stop. **

In case you're wondering, sitting in a car with Fang in the middle of terrible traffic and pouring rain is a wonderful combination that leads to one thing: an awkward silence. A very painful and uncomfortable awkward silence. That I was currently experiencing.

Life, just so you know, I hate you.

The rain hammered the roof of the car continuously and in some ways it felt therapeutic, but then I remember that I'm in a car with someone who is angry at me and could possibly hate my guts and all thoughts of happiness and calming sensations kind of just fly out the window.

Then, as if by some miracle, he coughed nervously. Halleluiah! The first sound! "You wanna pick up pizza on the way home?"

"Yeah sure" I said quietly. "What type of pizza?"

"I don't know I was hoping you'd have some idea."

To be honest, pizza wasn't really my thing unless it was cooked by Iggy, so I just gave Fang a list of toppings that Ella and the family might like. We stopped at Pizza Hut, or was it Dominoes? I really wasn't bothered looking at the sign, instead I focused on how Fang parked the car and just...sat there.

God help me. No, scratch that, the last time god helped me he sent the one person that could make the situation a hell of a lot worse. Hence the current silence we were in. "Fang?" I said nervously

He turned to me with his trademark face of...well nothing, that's why it was his trademark face.

"Are you going to get the pizza?" I asked, trying to avoid another awkward silence.

"Are going to come with me?"

"Are you going to stop answering my questions with questions?"

"That depends, are you going to come with me to order the pizza?"

"Why do I need to come with you?" I said mimicking the voice my mum used with babies "You're a big boy now, I'm sure you can do it yourself"

He smiled a little and just like that sent my heart into overdrive. "I don't want you to stay in the car by yourself." He admitted. I got mad at that.

"I can stay in here; I'm not a baby either. Or have you forgotten I'm sixteen?"

"Yeah, but you're still my baby." He paused a little and looked away. Cue blushing and annoying hormones. "Now get out or I'm gonna drag you in there myself"

I got out, but just to make it fun I slammed the car door really hard. Fang looked at me from his side as he locked the car and raised an eyebrow. "Does the baby need a cuddle?"

"No, the baby is fine" I growled. He laughed at me and opened the door to the pizza place where three guys sat waiting to be served. I noticed how Fang's expression changed as he opened the door.

"Go on, Nick" I said, because we were in a public place. "Age before beauty" **(Kaida, you rule XD)**

He looked at me in the watch-yourself-coz-they're-staring-and-I'm-so-jealous kind of way. Anyways, so we walked in and I was about to take a seat as Fang walked over to the counter, then he turned around and gestured for me to go with him. I rolled my eyes; if anyone knows someone this overprotective, please tell me. I followed him to the counter while one of the guys whistled at my ass. Well, what do you expect they were at a pizza place; they probably didn't get much action.

I leaned my elbows over the counter and waited for the kid with the cool hat to serve us. A hand curled around my waist and I straightened to give one of those jerks a full blown punch to the nose. The hand continued to tighten as I tried to wriggle out of it, and then Fang put his lips to my jaw line and gave me a soft kiss "stop wriggling" he whispered and pulled me closer. The guys whistled and the heat rose to my cheeks as a shiver crawled down my spine. Fang just...he just...and in front of people...and I was so going to bash him so bad when I got home!

"Fang" I whispered "what the hell are you doing?"

He pulled his lips away and I found myself begging for them to come back. "Showing them you aren't for sale" he tightened his arm around my waist so our hips were connected and I felt that familiar shiver again as he pulled me closer into his chest and kissed my forehead.

"Hello! May I help you?"

God damn you stupid pizza boy with the cool hat! I was having a _moment. _But anyway, Fang made his order. "Are there anymore seats in here?" I asked the kid. He seemed to blush at the fact that a girl was talking to him.

"No, I'm sorry"

Damn. Well...I could probably get one of the jerks to move, "Don't worry," Fang said making it hard for me to concentrate as he took away his hand from around my waist. "We'll just go sit in the car."

Oh no, not the car

"How long will it take for the pizza to be ready?"

"About fifteen minutes." The boy replied.

Fang turned to me and smiled before making his way to the door "Fifteen minutes in the car with yours truly, aren't you lucky?" he laughed. I groaned.

He moved towards the door and opened it for me, but as we stepped outside and entered our car I turned to him. "Was all that a show, Fang?" I asked with steal in my voice, but inside I was nervous, I wanted it to be real.

"Was all what a show?" he asked not looking at me; instead he was staring through the window of the pizza place.

"You know what I'm talking about "showing them you aren't for sale'" I repeated his exact words.

He was quiet for a moment and I was itching to wack him so I could get the answer out. "Well," he began and then stopped.

"Well what? It was all a joke because you can't stand the looks on other guys' faces when they see me?" I pushed, anger starting to rise.

"No. Well...yes." He continued to focus on the windows of the pizza place "I'm gonna go check if it's ready" he muttered

"No" I said grabbing him and pulling him down before he could leave the car. He stared at me with nervous eyes. "Tell me, was it all a show?"

He opened his mouth, turned away, looked back at me and then closed it. His eyes were different now, the same old emotionless orbs. "You're with Dylan aren't you?"

My jaw dropped in shock. He did that to keep me with Dylan? No, that's not right. Fang hates Dylan. I let go of his arm and watched as he got out of the car and walked in to wait for the pizza. It took him a few minutes and then he was back. "You wanna hold these?" he muttered not looking at me as he held out the pizzas.

"No" I said "Just put them in the back"

"They could fall" he insisted. "You'd better hold them"

I grunted but took the pizzas anyway. The warmth of them immediately flowed over my thighs as I put them on my lap and reached for my seatbelt.

-Fang's POV-

Did I mention the fact that I really hate pizza? Well, unless it's made by Iggy, he's the best cook.

We got home in complete silence. I'm the silent type of guy, unless I'm drunk, then all hell breaks loose, or unless I'm with Max and we're just talking like normal friends because in a way she's like a drug; With the good feelings and the bad results.

But today was weird. Silent all the way to the pizza place and then silent all the way back. It wasn't the good type of silence either, it was awkward and horrible and all I wanted to do was lean over a kiss her.

I loved the way she blushed when I kissed her in the Pizza place, but then after that I screwed it up. I stuffed it and now she hates me. I did it because... I don't know. I have no idea why I did it, I hate Dylan, and I hate his undeserving guts and his stupid perverted eyes as they roamed over Max at Mr Ray's office.

I guess I did it because I'm a guy. I stupid guy who doesn't know how to admit feelings to someone he loves. I loved Max, there you go. I said it. I love her so god damn much that it was hard to sleep at night; I loved her so much that I was afraid of leaving her in a car by herself. I worried about her at school as well. She had guys in her classes, I know she's strong and she could bash them up with one hand tied behind her back, but it wasn't the bullies I was worried about. That's what it used to be, when we just a family, when we were just kids, but now I'm afraid someone will take her away. A guy would come up to her and ask her out before I get the chance. Like Dylan, like that undeserving Dylan. Maybe it's still that sibling love, but maybe it's more than that. It used to be so simple and now it's complicated and I don't know what to tell her.

I'd give anything to just go back in time and tell her what I was feeling when I kissed her at the pizza place. I wanted to tell her I loved her and that I didn't want those guys staring at her like they were about to pounce. It hurt to let go of her, but I did. It hurt to know that kissing her lips might stuff up our friendship, so I didn't. I'd do anything for her to be happy, but I'd do anything to hold her in my arms and just tell her I love her every day. Maybe when she's asleep I could hold her tight and kiss her gently as she doses off.

It's a long shot, but it's what I wanted. God knows what she wants.

**Me: Fang! You have a Delonghi in your ear!**

**Fang: where?**

**Me: in your EAR!**

**Fang: *face palm***

**Me: Bubbles... *snickers* oh and if you guys wanna ask this dude anything he's not going anywhere, so he's all yours...*pokes fang***

**Fang: *presses shut down button***

**Me: NOOO!**

_**Computer is shutting down**_


	5. I'm hungry, but I think I love you

**A/N: Hello, it's been a while since I've updated, but I've been writing all this in between classes at school so I'm sorry if its wacko. And a bit too long. And wacko. **

**Iggy: Just get on with the story!**

**Me: hey look its figgy!**

**Iggy: *face palm***

**I'm so tired. **

**This chapter is longer and has some little faxy moments but the point of it is**

**Iggy: To kill time**

**Me: would you like me to rearrange your face? *rolls up sleeves* or just kick your ass all the way to next week?**

**Iggy: I would like you to give me chocolate. **

**Me: on with the story**

"You Okay?" Ella asked, stepping out onto the landing where Iggy seemed to be staring up at the stars. He would've been, except for the fact that he was blind. **(Iggy: must you always state the obvious? me: SSSHH! Iggy you're interrupting the story! Iggy: who cares? Me: SSSH! It's supposed to be EMOTIONAL! Iggy: and yet...I still don't care. Me: *wacks Iggy*)**

Ella let out a sigh as she took a seat on the little swingy chair that was sitting beside the wall. Iggy was sitting with his hands in his lap and his eyes open 'looking' at the pitch black sky. Stars blinked in and out of view a sea of gold and black blending together. They littered the darkness like fireflies**. (Iggy: except for the fact that their butts didn't glow. Me: *face palm*) **Hanging against their dark backboard, they almost seemed to isolate themselves from the rest, holding their own light and their own unique little cloud of shine and difference. Silent and unmoving, yet they scream with beauty and dance in light as they illuminate the space between them and nothing; each one brighter than the next. Ella could stare at them for hours, to see the sky littered with stars at this time of night was a gift and a blessing, a time when you really appreciate the gift of sight.

Ella turned her gaze to Iggy, staring blankly at the stars, buried under his own type of black, his world was a blanket of darkness yet his heart was Ella's shining beacon. She reached out her hand until she had Iggy's fragile fingers in hers. He turned to her, not that it mattered; he would never be able to see her face. He squeezed her hand gently and a small smile danced along his lips. Ella shuffled over so that she could rest her head on his shoulder and curl up against his side. Ever so gently, his arms found their way around her waist and he held her comfortingly against him.

They sat there pressed against each other, sharing the warmth between them. Iggy held Ella protectively as he stared blankly at his black sky. He was Ella's confidence, her light and her bravery. She was his guardian, his eyes and his best friend. Ella nuzzled into his neck, describing in a whisper how beautiful the night was, how beautiful he looked under the stars and how amazing he was to her.

It wasn't until Iggy had fallen asleep that Ella allowed herself to plant a soft kiss on his lips, his eyes fluttered and stared at nothing. Ella kissed him again, long and slow as he fell back asleep.

"Are you staying out here?" she asked, playing with his hair.

"Yeah" he muttered as he caressed her cheek in his hand. "I love you" he mumbled. Ella smiled at him before opening the back door. "I love you too" she said to herself as she closed the door behind her.

Ella walked into the living room and was about to make her way up stairs, when she saw something that looked like a foot sticking out of the couch. She walked towards the foot and saw that it belonged to a sleeping Max.

She was curled up on the couch and her shoulders were vibrating like they do when you cry. She wouldn't raise her head and Ella watched her sister as she huddled in her little ball and cried tears that not even little three year old Max could muster.

_-Flashback-_

-Fang's POV-

"Fang?" Max called softly as she knocked on my door. I walked towards the sound of her knock and opened the door rubbing my eyes. She stared me up and down and her face changed to the colour of a tomato. I looked down "shit" I thought. "Next time, I should probably try wearing pants..." I was in my black boxers (duh) and Max was standing at my door in tiny shorts and one of my old singlets I had grown out of.

Max loved wearing our stuff...and I gotta say, she looks pretty hot when she wears them...especially when she's rubbing her eyes like the little tired kid she is and wow I really wanna kiss her.

No Fang. Think _brotherly _thoughts.

Stuff that. Iggy and Ella were outside, mum was working late and I had the most beautiful girl in the world standing outside my room...in my shirt.

And I was wearing nothing but boxers.

How the hell can I possibly think 'brotherly' thoughts in a time like this?

"What's up, Max?" I said, trying to sound like I didn't care. Truth was, I needed a cold shower.

"I'm hungry" she said quietly.

"Is there anymore leftover pizza?" I offered

She sighed "I don't know. Can you make me something?"

Right. I should probably tell you, never trust Max in the kitchen, EVER. I'm not that great myself, I'll admit it, but at least I use the fire extinguisher. Max would probably wait until _after _the house had burnt down.

"Why don't you ask Iggy to make you something?"

She moved closer to me. Breathe, Fang, don't forget to breathe. "Ella and him are having a moment" she whispered cheekily.

I _really _needed that cold shower.

"Fang?" Max said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Are you just gonna stare at me?" she asked angrily

Yes, I thought.

"Fang!" she yelled "I'm hungry and you're just staring at me. Stop it!"

Man, I _really _want to kiss her...

"Fang. Listen to me" she said in a threatening tone "you HAVE to cook me something or I'll get hungry, do you know what happens when I get hungry?"

That woke me up...

"Ok. Fine. Food for Maxi. Got it."

She fumed. "Don't. Call. Me. Maxi!"

Then all of a sudden she was whacking me with everything she had and I was being pummelled to the ground.

With no shirt.

In my underwear.

So many guys would kill for this.

-Max's POV-

He looked so cute without a shirt...so unbelievably _hot_. And yet, he wouldn't make me a late night snack. I mean, what's a guy for if he can't make you food? I curled my hand into a fist and sent my gazillionth punch plummeting down onto Fang's chest. It connected with a smack and I heard the wind knock out of him.

"Max" he breathed. "I'll...Make you...something. Get off!" he let out with a gasp.

I had tackled Fang to the floor and pinned him down on his back so that I was sitting on top of him. My knees were now on either side of him and, to be honest, I was enjoying my view...

"You're crazy, Max" he said as he laughed "I'm begging you to get off me."

"Oh?" I crooned "The mighty Fang is _begging_, is he?"

"Please" he continued "the mighty Fang wants you off"

I pouted "but I was having fun"

"Yeah, so was I. But if you want food I suggest you get off me" he said with a smirk. He raised his arms off the ground and gripped my shoulders. With one heave of his muscular body I was on my back and he was lying across my stomach. I felt his breath on my neck as he panted from all the laughter.

"Now I want _you _off _me._" I said starting to feel something hard against my stomach.

"No." He said. His lips were so close to my neck I could feel them brushing against me. I could feel the smile on his lips as he moved his face down my collar bone. "I think I'll stay"

He propped himself up on his elbows so he was looking down on me. His dark orbs penetrated my chocolate brown ones. I remember when I used to see those as my protective blanket when I was still that little kid that was afraid of the boogieman. Big strong Fang, my older brother, the cool kid that scared away the bullies.

But now those midnight orbs made my heart accelerate, they made my breath become faster and the colour rise to my cheeks. I see his face in a different way now, not like the big brother coming to scare away the monster under the bed, but as the strong arms coming to hold me for forever and day, those full lips coming to kiss me and whisper wonderful words until I fall asleep.

I didn't know what was happening. I've had enough teenage crushes to know that they don't last; I promised I wouldn't make that same mistake again.

Now it's Fang, so close to me, practically sleeping on top of me and I realise he's just not my brother anymore. He's a lot more than that.

Fang seemed to notice my silence. He just didn't want to say anything about it. He was still looking down at me, the boyish smirk gone from his face and all that was left was that look he gave me beside the principal's office. Like he was pleading with me. Why was he looking at me like that? Why was his face coming closer?

"You know when...we were getting pizza?" he began. His voice sounded shaky, nervous and thoughtful. It took all my power to stop me from running out of the room. "And I told you I only kissed you so that the assholes in there knew you weren't for sale?"

My breath caught in my throat. I squirmed and moved my hands so they were pushing me off the ground, I rose a little bit, and then Fang moved his arms to my wrists. "No," he said in an urgent voice "Don't go now."

I fell back onto the floor as he stared at me with those eyes. I wanted to kiss him, to tell him I feel the same, but I couldn't, I just wanted to run.

"I have to say it" he said not turning away "do you remember that day?"

I nodded. Of course I did. That day when he told me it was all for Dylan. The day I lost hope in ever getting him to be mine.

"I lied" he said. It sounded like he was choking, crying even. But Fang doesn't cry and in a matter of minutes his face was back to normal. "I lied to you about wanting to keep you with Dylan. I hate him, he's a stupid douche bag with no life and he doesn't deserve you."

Fang went quiet. I didn't move. I couldn't, he practically had me nailed to the ground. Fang's face changed to anger.

"I lied okay?" he said sharply, looking down into my eyes. "But..." he paused and looked away."But I don't regret it. I don't regret anything, I kissed you and I held you and I loved it" he was talking hurriedly; his words were rushed and silly. "Dylan was my excuse. I'm sorry I pushed you into it, I just didn't know how to admit these stupid feelings" he looked back at me, desperate. I saw the Adams apple in his throat bob up and down as he swallowed. "I didn't know how to say it"

"Fang" I began. I didn't want to put him through this. I know it's hard, Heck I know. I wanted him to stop. "Fang..." I said again, as he looked away from me, lifting his weight from my body. "You don't have to apologise"

His lips came crashing down on mine, but it wasn't hard or painful, it was desperate. His kiss was like his eyes, desperate and amazing. It was soft and slow and long. He looked into my eyes as his lips stayed connected to mine. Slowly he closed them, I did too. And then he deepened it. It was amazing and passionate. Just like Fang.

Slowly he pulled away, but kept his eyes on my lips, not meeting my gaze. "I love you" he muttered.

And then he looked into my eyes and held them with his. "I love you so much"

Right now you're probably thinking how lovely this moment must be for me. Yeah right.

To tell you the truth, I had this little person in my head whacking away at my skull for all its worth, like it was at a three year olds birthday party.

I don't know what the stupid person did to my brain, but it sure doesn't feel like I have one anymore. My whole sense of thought and common sense and judgement and all the stuff you _need _in a moment like this had been erased by a stupid maniac running around in my head.

Because that's just me; a maniac with a baseball bat.

"_I love you" _he said _"I love you so much"_

Do you know how long I've been waiting for him to say that? And now that it was finally out all I could do was gap at him like a stunned mullet.

Stupid, Max. Say something!

And yet...the little person just kept on whacking.

-Fang's POV-

I searched for her expression, searched for something to tell me that she felt the same. Maybe her scarlet face and the way she just stared at my lips was her way of saying she loved me.

I didn't care. I had said it and I'd kissed her, kissed her where it mattered.

I've been waiting so long to do that.

Now she was lying with her back flat on the floor and I was lying on top of her, staring at her beautiful face. I kissed her again and felt her lips hesitate against mine, but before I could get too carried away, I pulled away softly and kissed her forehead.

Maybe I should get her off the floor.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her gently until I was in a sitting position with her in between my legs.

She raised her head and for the first time after I kissed her, she looked me in the eye. Her face was flushed and her chocolate brown eyes were tinted with gold. She was beautiful.

Then she slowly removed my hands from around her waist. The words that escaped her lips were like a knife twisting itself slowly and deliberately through my ribcage, aiming for the heart. They were like ice creeping slowly into that special place that I reserved for Max and only Max. It was like plunging a knife into my chest and twisting it again and again and again.

They were only two words, but they hurt. After all I said, after everything I felt for her was now out in the open, those words were like a wack in the face.

"I'm sorry" she whispered. That's it. _I'm sorry. _And then she ran out of my room, I heard her footsteps loudly descending the staircase. I didn't turn back to her; I didn't even try to hold her back.

_-End flash back-_

**Ok, so we got through a whole chapter without Iggy interrupting...i think we're making progress. **

**I need to ask you guys a question...I'm thinking of taking the advice of (censored) and maybe changing the stories title. If you think i should, or if you have any ideas on what you might want to call it, please review and tell me. **


	6. Chapter 6

_Back at the house where Ella found Max on the couch_

"Max?" Ella whispered softly as she sat beside her, rubbing her shoulders gently to wake her up. Max grunted her reply and slowly started to sit up. Her eyes were red and puffy and her face was tear-streaked. It was a little dark in the room, but the light was bright enough for Ella to see Max's puffy red eyes, as if Max had been crying.

Max? Crying? No way, Ella thought, Max was the strongest sixteen year-old she knew. Max never cried, sure sometimes maybe at funerals and horrible sad moments she'd shed tears, but she would never make a sound. No sobbing or anything, her face wouldn't scrunch up either, it was just silent tears. Ella gasped at Max's red watery eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, getting tissues and turning on the light.

"I'm fine" Max mumbled, obviously not fine "I'm going to bed"

A muffled thud came from upstairs and Ella turned to see Fang fully dressed carrying a bag, leaving his room and heading for the front door.

"Where are you going?" Ella asked sharply

"Out" he answered not even glancing at Ella.

Max lifted herself from the couch and looked at Fang for a second before dragging herself slowly up stairs. Fang watched her. Ella studied his face as he stared longingly at her, he was almost sad as he stared at her tear-streaked face. He didn't ask if she was alright, he just turned back to the door and pulled the handle.

"You can't leave" Ella stopped him as Max entered her room and closed the door. "It's late and you can't just go out without telling mum"

He stared at her as if he was bored "Anything else?" he questioned

Ella gaped at him "You can't go out, even you know that! What is wrong with you, you're not acting like yourself."

Still Fang said nothing.

"You can't leave!" Ella insisted as he turned back to the door.

"I'm eighteen for crying out loud! I can do what I want" Fang yelled

"Mum will be home in a couple of hours, if she knows you've left-"

"I don't care" he growled. His voice was full of anger and steal. He looked Ella straight in the eyes and his intensity made her flinch "I just don't care"

And then he left the house leaving Ella gaping at the door.

-Fang's POV-

I felt ashamed. It takes a hell of a lot of work for a guy to admit something like that, to work up the courage and say to a girl that he loves her. I did it, I was brave enough to look her in the eye and say 'I love you'. And what she gave me was absolute shit. Nothing. I didn't even get a little smile; she looks at me and runs.

Typical Max.

I was angry now, angry at her and angry at myself. I felt ashamed, embarrassed and betrayed.

I loved her. I knew that much. I've never liked anyone as much as I liked her. That's love right? When you care for someone so much it hurts you to turn away from them? I felt that and it hurt to just stand there while she ran away; away from me.

I wanted to throw something at the wall. To pick something up and crush it with my fists. I was so angry it scared me, what did I do to her? I told her I loved her. What more could she want? I showed her I loved her and all she could do was run.

Just turn and run.

I didn't know whether to be angry at her for leaving or to be angry at myself for admitting I liked her. Is that why she ran? Because she couldn't face the facts?

Maybe she hates me. Now I've got to live in this stupid house with the memory of today. Everyday looking at her will be like a flashback of what I said, how she ran and how much it hurt knowing she didn't want me.

-Max's POV-

My eyes were all red. I hated crying. It never helped me with anything, I cry, I feel tired, I sleep and yet Fang still said those three words and I still ran out of the room.

He said it; those three words and they sounded unbelievably amazing coming from his lips. His lips, he kissed me with those. _Kissed _me! Why the hell didn't I kiss him back? I had the chance...but no because being me I had to screw up. Being stupid stubborn crazy me, I just had to run out of the room and cry like a stupid baby.

Stupid Max. I buried my face in my pillows and screamed until my throat hurt. Then I took a deep breath and just continued to scream.

He probably hates me now, that amazing sexy haired asshole loved me to bits and now he's probably planning ways to kill me. I know he hates me because when I walked up to my room I saw how he acted in front of Ella. Poor Ella, she has no idea what's going on.

I'm tired, so freaking tired and all I wanted was food. Then out of nowhere we caused all this mayhem between us. And yet...I am still hungry.

I kept replaying the way he lifted me off and rolled on top of me, how he just stared at me...and then said he loved me and then kissed me and how I just sat there like an idiot. I don't remember what I was thinking. Maybe how amazing he tasted...or maybe it was the fact that I was so unbelievably hungry.

Maybe it was too sudden, he kissed me and I had no idea what to do. He's my brother...in a way and he was kissing me. What the hell am I supposed to think? I couldn't say I loved him, I did, I liked him a LOT, but I just can't say that word..._love. _

No one knows what it is; it's a feeling, a bunch of emotions and hormones playing bulrush in your head. My mum loved someone, look where that got her, four kids and no husband. You love someone, you get married and if you don't divorce you end up dying anyway.

Love isn't simple. It crazy and illogical. It never solves anything and it just doesn't end in a fairy tale where we all live happily ever after. Sure, as a teenager you think there's no one else like your boyfriend, he's the most amazing thing in the world. I've had plenty of those, most of them ended up breaking my heart and then finding a new girl two days later.

So when Fang kissed me...what was I supposed to do? Kiss him back and say I loved him? What if something went wrong between us and we realized it wasn't going to work? We'll still be living in the same house, it'll ruin our family bond and we probably won't even see each other as friends anymore, just as ex's.

I didn't know what to do when he kissed me. I was confused and worried, yet I still feel like I can't stop thinking about him...I guess in a way...maybe I do love him.

But where's that going to get us? Love doesn't end in happiness and it can never solve every problem.

**Sorry if this chapter was really short ...and slow...and pointless, it's kind of like a filler chapter I guess.**

**I'll post the next chapter really soon, I promise!**


	7. Without Fang

**Sorry I haven't updated a decent chapter for a while. Here's one for you guys, hope you like it. **

I fidgeted in class. Chewing on my pencil and scribbling random shapes into my notebook. Fang. Where the hell did he go?

He didn't come home last night and this morning mum called the police. My phone was on, even though the teacher said to turn it off, and I was waiting impatiently for a call from my mum to see if they'd found anything.

I continued to tap my pen until the teacher gave me a death glare. Dylan was looking at me anxiously too. He's been doing it all morning; all I wanna do is chuck my book at his face.

Then my phone rang.

I almost jumped out of my skin as I fiddled with it. The whole class was looking at me now, the teacher was getting out her pen and I knew I had a detention waiting for me.

"Phone Miss Martinez?" she said holding out her hand.

"Okay" I muttered.

I took the phone out of my pocket and flipped open the screen, I nearly cried when I read the name.

"Max" the teacher warned "Hand over the phone"

I bit my lip to stop the tears. I'm not going to cry. I looked at the text again, hoping it wasn't true.

"They haven't found anything

-mum"

The teacher snatched away my phone "afternoon detention" she said and walked away. I stared at her as she turned around and walked back to the desk. I threw everything I had into my bag and stood up, throwing it over my shoulders.

"And where do you think you're going?" the teacher asked.

Dylan stood up too "Max? Is everything okay?"

I stared at him for a moment, taking in his face and his worried features. Then I turned back to the teacher and her drawer full of detention slips.

And then I ran straight out of that crappy hell hole.

I didn't want to go back there, all I wanted was Fang home and sitting on the lounge with a cup of hot chocolate and marshmallows.

Why did I have to stuff everything up last night? Why couldn't I just close my eyes and pretend everything was okay, make him happy by kissing him back and then we could solve everything afterwards. Why the hell did I run? Now he's somewhere out there and I don't even know if he's okay, he hates me and I can't even find him to apologise.

I ran out of the classroom and into the girls' toilets; the typical place to sulk. I sat down in one of the cubicles and pressed my knees up to my chest, dumping my bag on the floor. I didn't cry. I stared at the gap under the cubicle door and studied the bathroom tiles.

The world is always spinning and you have no control over it, there's nothing to do but go with the flow. Gravity holds you down and you just have to deal with it; find something to focus on so you don't lose yourself. I had to grab onto something, except the only thing I wanted to grab onto was probably half way across the state.

I heard the bathroom door open and two girls walked in. They stood in front of the mirror and went on and on about gossip and the latest news.

"Yeah" one said "year 12 formal soon. Isn't it exciting?"

I stopped breathing.

"And then graduation and we'll finally be out of this dump"

My hands tightened around my knees, pulling them closer to my chest. I buried my face in my arms as they continued to talk.

"What uni are you thinking of going to?"

Year 12 formal? Graduation? University? Fang won't even be at the same school as me anymore!

Why does everything always have to get worse?

The two girls left the bathroom laughing, probably talking about who they'll be taking as their date.

As soon as the door closed, someone else came in.

"Max?" I heard a voice call. Ella. "Max, I know you're in one of these cubicles"

I didn't answer her. I saw her foot tap on the white tiles. "I can see your bag"

I mentally whacked myself. "fine." I said defeated "you got me"

She heard my voice and stood outside my cubicle "what are you doing in here?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do people do in toilets, Ella?"

She sighed "Oh c'mon Max. I know you aren't doing that." She paused "did you get mum's text?"

"Yes" no one spoke "how did you know I was in here?" I said breaking the silence

"The teacher told me to get you for your afternoon detention. Are you going to come out or do I have to stand here like an idiot talking to a toilet?"

I picked up my bag and unlocked the door. She smiled at me and gave me my phone. I put it in my pocket as we walked back to my class. I sighed; it was time to face the teacher and detention.

"When you're out, give me a call and I'll get mum to pick you up" Ella said waving goodbye and running to her bus.

Detention is never fun, so I won't bore you with an endless description of silence.

I got out late after making rude comments to the teacher. I didn't call Ella or mum, because I was low on credit. Stupid teacher decided to waste it as a punishment. **(You know they actually do that at my school? How annoying!)**

Instead I walked home, it was only 6 o'clock but it was starting to get dark and walking is pretty boring when you don't have anything to think about. I had plenty to think about...but I didn't want to think about it.

I searched through my contacts list on my phone and I stopped as I came across Fang's name. Where the hell was he? I clicked on his name and stared at the blank text message I was about to write. I hesitated...what do I say? Where are you? What the hell are you thinking? I was so tempted to write that he was a mindless jerk that needed a hole to die in.

"Come home. Plz." I typed, I was about to press send, but I bit my lip and hesitated. "I miss u... a lot"

I pressed the send button and just stared at my phone.

I ran my hand over my face in frustration; I can't believe I just did that. As if he's going to magically appear at home and answer the front door and give me hot chocolate and cookies and pull me into a tight hug. That message isn't going to make miracles.

I walked with my hands in my pockets for ten minutes, lost my way, found it again and then kept walking; the entire time thinking of how badly I am going to smash Fang's beautiful face when he came home... _If _he came home.

My phone buzzed and vibrated. I stopped mid-step, thank fully there was no one on the streets otherwise I would've looked like a complete douche bag. I fumbled inside my pocket for my buzzing phone and almost screamed when I saw Fang's name on the screen. Slowly I opened his message and savoured each letter as I read it, knowing that somewhere out there he was still able to talk to me. It read:

"I don't want to force u in2 anything. I luv u but I'll wait. If it makes u happy."

I love you I love you I love you! I just wanted to say it; I wanted to send it to him in big capital flashing letters. I was about to reply and then BAM the stupid screen told me I was out of credit. It took all of my patience to NOT smash my phone right then and there.

And then reality hit me smack bang in the face. I was out of credit, I had no idea where I was going and it was already getting dark.

Ah crap.

I continued walking, where? I have no idea. I tried to use the light on my phone and check out the street names or to find something I recognised, like, I don't know, maybe MY HOUSE! But nothing jumped out at me.

Except for that guy smoking in the street across the road. I wasn't afraid of him, that was, until he crossed and made his way over to me. Then I was ready to run for my life.

"Hey gorgeous" he said to me, he smelt of alcohol and cigarettes and his voice was the definition of a turn-off, Fang's on the other hand...well that's another story entirely.

I curled my hands into fists and kept on walking. He stepped closer to me and smiled like a crazed lunatic. That's it, I thought, he was so going to get it.

"What's a fine girl like you doing alone in these streets?" he asked. Ugh he stank.

"Beating up a sleaze like you, sounds close enough" I growled at him, giving him my most deadly of death glares. He wasn't looking at me though; he was looking at my chest and liking his lips like a hungry dog.

That's it. I slammed my fist into his jaw causing him to stumble and back away. He rubbed his chin and glared me "Feisty are we?" he smirked

"Don't push it, nimrod" I threatened. "Trust me, you better run or you're gonna get it bad"

He laughed "Hey babe, I just want a little fun tonight. Bring it" he stepped closer to me and slammed his lips against mine, sticking his tongue down my throat. I positioned my hands on his chest just as he tied his fingers in my hair and crushed my lips into his, rubbing the inside of my mouth with his disgusting tongue. I pushed him as hard as I could, but he wouldn't budge. He started to unbutton my school blouse and that's when the fear really started to hit me.

I panicked. All I could think of was rape, I've heard all the stories, I've seen the after affects in the victims. It wasn't pretty. I was screaming inside, wanting him off me. He undid the blouse and reached his hand underneath it, feeling my breasts and slipping his fingers beneath my bra.

I froze in shock, I was panicking. This guy was sick! I wanted to Fang to save me; I wanted someone to save me. Too bad I'm not that lucky. He moved one of his hands down to my skirt and was about to lift it up just as I raised my leg and kneed him in his manhood.

He groaned and toppled over. I took in deep breathes and tried to calm myself, I couldn't, suddenly I found myself running. I was shaking like crazy and scared for my life that every step was hard and I almost tripped over a couple of times.

A car was turning a corner just up the street and its lights were blinding, I stopped and covered my eyes with my hands. The car stopped in front of me and another male stepped out. I took one glance at him and ran the opposite way; he grabbed my arm and pulled me to his chest. I screamed and kicked as panic rose again.

"Hey! Max, stop it will you!" I heard the voice say. I relaxed a little, I was panting and still shaking, but the familiarity of the voice was calming.

"Dylan?" I choked

"Yeah, it's me" he whispered holding me tight to his chest. "Just relax okay, the guy's gone"

I stayed pressed up against his warm body and my breathing slowly returned to normal, I was still shaken, but Dylan's strong arms were comforting.

"Um" he began awkwardly as he let me go and turned around "you might wanna do up your shirt."

I looked down, embarrassed and did up my buttons "Thanks" I muttered.

He turned around again and gestured to his car. "Need a lift home?"

I smiled at him and took a seat in the front. The trip to my house was really short and I can't believe I missed it while I was walking. Dylan parked the car in the driveway and I thanked him for the ride before I opened the door.

He walked me to my front door and rang the doorbell; Ella answered and smiled at Dylan and me. I read the look on her face and immediately shook my head.

"Sure" she mouthed to me, winking. Dylan and I said our goodbyes and Ella closed the door behind us.

"So" she said with an excited look on her face "you and Dylan?"

"No" I growled at her "he just helped me get home"

"Sure" she said again "did you help you with anything else?" she gestured to my blouse, I looked down and realised I hadn't buttoned them up probably, plus, to make it worse, my bra strap was loose and hanging off my shoulder.

Wow...she thinks I...gross! And with Dylan! Excuse me while I puke.

Ella winked at me and whispered "It's okay, I won't tell mum. You're at a legal age anyway"

I stared at her. Are you freaking kidding me!

Oh wow, this night just keeps getting better.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ok so Fangs gone and now max is having problems with Dylan. Yay. **

**This chapter gets good, I promise: D **

I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing and vibrating on my bedside table.

"Shut up" I told it

It beeped twice. Was that thing swearing at me! I threw my blankets off and gave my phone a death glare.

"One unread message" it read on the screen.

I sighed and picked up my phone. I read the time it said 6am, there was still half an hour until the rest of the house woke up. I read the name of the sender. Dylan. What the...

1) How did he get my phone number?

2) I was going to see him at school anyway, so why was he waking me up at 6AM!

3) I don't want to talk to him. Nuff said.

And then my brain processed a couple of things.

1) He has my number because I gave it to him

2) I didn't have school today because it was Saturday. Thank you weekend!

3) Ugh

I opened the text and read it "how r u feeling bout yesterday?"

Like crap

I threw my phone back onto my bedside table and buried myself under the blankets once again.

The truth was I was still shaken up. I mean, the guy _kissed _me (if you call that horrible experience a kiss) and then he groped my breasts and lifted my skirt. I felt so vulnerable it was scary. I never feel vulnerable, that's me, always strong and independent. Yet I owe so much to Dylan and I hate owing people. Especially when said person I have to owe wants me to be his girlfriend.

Thinking gets scary after a while when you start doing it right. Like now...I'm thinking of Dylan and how he's asking me questions and getting too close and then there's Fang who's now probably half way across the state which might even a be a result of love...

Love, I just want to let you know, you're a bitch.

My phone vibrated again and then beeped twice. I got up to check if it was Fang this time. It wasn't. It was Dylan again, what the hell does he want from me?

"R u free 2nite?"

I threw my head back. Someone help me!

I had gotten credit last night and was saving it for a whole conversation with Fang. But since this guy was asking me out...I guess I had to reply.

"Yeah 2nite I'm free" I sent it

"gr8. Want me 2 pick u up at 8?"

I cried inwardly. "ITS 6AM!" I wanted to shout at him. "And I don't like you like that because I have someone I want that's god-knows-where and has no idea how I feel!"

"Yeah. Can't wait" I said instead.

Stupid Max.

That morning I didn't wake up until 12. Which isn't really morning anymore, but you get the point.

"Ella?" I called downstairs. I heard Iggy's voice and then Ella sigh before she actually came out and asked what was wrong.

"You okay, sleepy head?" she smiled at me. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were bright red. Wasn't she just with Iggy?

Oh. My. God.

I shook my head. No way, nuh uh, no chance in hell.

But...they are both seventeen...and they don't argue...and Ella just walked out of her room with red lips and cheeks. Holy cow, when people say sibling love, I'm sure they don't picture our family.

"Were you and Iggy...?" I drifted off. "Are you and Iggy...?" I drifted off again.

Ella stared at me. "Yes"

I gapped at her. "Why hasn't anyone told me? How can you guys like each other and not tell me!" I gasped "does mum know?"

"Not all of it"

"Do I know all of it?"

She didn't say anything. I dragged her into my room and sat her down on my bed. She wouldn't look at me. "Ella" I growled "tell me ALL of it"

"Ok...we're in love" Ella said looking up at me.

I smacked my forehead. "No you're not"

"What?" she jumped "I just told you!"

"You're not 'In love' because you don't even know what love is yet!" I screamed at her "no one knows what love is! You can't just say you love someone when you've only gone out with them for a couple of weeks" I stopped "It's only been a couple weeks...right?"

Ella turned away "three years" she muttered.

"WHAT!" I screamed "and you didn't even say anything to me?"

"We didn't want it to spread" she lowered her voice "mum doesn't know it's been three years. She only found out last year"

I swallowed "Have you...you know"

Her cheeks went scarlet "Yes" she said quietly.

I collapsed on my bed. "I can't believe this" I said looking up at my ceiling. "Three years. You've had sex and I don't even know about it!" I took her by the shoulders and shook her to Kingdom come. "I'm your sister!"

"I know" she said looking me straight in the eye. "And Fang's my brother"

I looked at her confused "huh?"

"I know he loves you" she said

"It's not love. How many times to do I have to say it-"

"Has he told you?" she said looking at me right in the eyes "he told me he's wanted to tell you for years"

Years? YEARS?

"YEARS!" I screamed at Ella "for years? No. You're lying, I know you're lying" I got off the bed and backed away from her.

She shook her head. "Two years"

I felt hot tears in my eyes. No! What's happening, don't cry, Max. "He only told me two days ago" I said quietly, trying to hold back the droplets leaking from my eyes. Ella shook her head again. "You know all those dates you went on..." she started. "He didn't like them and that's why all the guys you liked only went out with you for a few weeks."

"What!" I screamed. The tears were flowing freely "he ruined all my dates?"

"He loved you" Ella said, getting up and embracing me in a tight hug. "I think maybe he only said it to you a few days ago because he thought he weren't ready yet"

I cried into Ella's shoulder "Dylan" I said remembering the pleading eyes Fang gave me when Dylan tried to ask me out. He's been waiting for me, for two years and every guy that asked me out was like a knife in his chest. "Dylan asked my out on a date for tonight" I cried "I was going to ask you to help me get ready for it"

"Do like Dylan?' she asked stroking my back.

"No" I sniffled.

"Then cancel it" she said soothingly. "Do it for Fang"

I nodded as she kissed my forehead and walked out of my room, leaving me to take care of business. I took out my phone and entered Dylan's name. I typed: "sorry something's come up. Not free 2nite"

He replied almost immediately

"Alright, it's ok, see u at school."

I stared at my phone, scrolling through my contacts list and coming across Fang's name I clicked on it.

"I cancelled a date with Dylan tonight. I want you home, you big jerk"

And I sent it.

"Guess who came home"

"Who?" I asked and then I understood "NO WAY!"

She nodded.

"REALLY?" I shouted. I looked up at the top of the staircase and there he was, as handsome as ever, standing there waiting for me.

Fang was home.


	9. Finally home

**A/N: sorry for taking so long to update but school is a (censored) piece of (censored). This chapter is a little...um...adult themed...  
It's got Lissa in it. Do you all remember Lissa? The evil red-head? Well, I don't own her, she belongs to JP and yes she is a red-head, but I would just like to say that I have nothing against red-heads or people named Lissa, it's just...you know, this one is particularly annoying and stupid and I want to bash her so bad, but I can't, which makes me sad. Anyway, the chap isn't that bad, but if you are still innocent I suggest you don't read it...**

-Earlier that morning- (**from previous chapter)**

-Fang's POV-

I picked up my bag and flung it over the bed. I hated packing, even though I had hardly anything to pack...but still, folding clothes and shoving them in a bag isn't my definition of fun.

I had been staying with an old friend of mine from year ten; we used to go out on wild flings and have those on-and-off teenage relationships you know? Anyway, when I left home I decided to stay over at her place. She lived alone with the occasional boyfriend, but other than that she had dropped out of school in year ten and moved out of home.

"Nick?" the door opened and I spun around. Lissa walked in and stared at my bag "Are you packing?"

"Yeah" I said flinging my bag over my shoulder. "I was thinking of going back home"

Lissa pouted "I was getting used to having a guy in the house." She crept up to me and ran her hand down my chest. "Can't you stay a little longer?"

I shivered and removed her hands. "I've left my family for two days, they might be worried"

"Yeah" she said "But a little fun won't hurt" she slipped her fingers through the elastic of my jeans and ran them along my waist, running her hands further down to my groin. With her other hand she raised my shirt and kissed up my stomach. I was getting hard as she continued to grind her hips against mine.

"Lissa" I warned. My breathing was getting shaky and manly instincts were kicking in. "I couldn't" I thought "I'm going home to face Max, I can't do this."

Lissa undid the fly of my jeans and let them fall, she rubbed between my legs. I moaned and threw her on to the bed, falling on top of her. She slipped off her clothes effortlessly and removed my boxers just as my little friend started to get harder.

Maybe a little fun won't be that bad.

I heard my phone beep from my bag. Lissa opened her eyes and drew circles on my stomach with her fingers. "Are you gonna get that?" she asked kissing my stomach "or do you want to go for another round?"

That was tempting...

"Maybe it's my mum" I muttered before regretfully removing her hands.

I crawled out of from under the blankets and slipped on my boxers. Lissa however, sat up and didn't even bother putting on a shirt so I found myself staring at her as I searched for my phone. I opened it and read the name on the screen. Max. Oh no...

"I just cancelled a date with Dylan tonight. I want you home you big jerk"

I looked up from my phone with a composed expression. Lissa smiled at me and seductively crawled over to me, kissing my ear. "So" she asked wrapping her hands around my waist "Important?"

I swallowed and tried to hide how nervous I was. "My girlfriend" I lied getting up quickly. (I wish).

I saw her face change into...was that anger? She composed herself and smiled. She winked at me and followed me out of the bed. "Well Nick, you've been a very naughty boy" she purred "I like it"

I looked back at my phone "I just cancelled a date with Dylan tonight"

Does that mean she chose me?

"Maybe I should go" I muttered as I changed into my clothes and left still gripping my phone. I closed the door behind me and made my way to my car, just as the guilt and stupidity of my actions hit me in the face.

I groaned and rested my forehead on the wheel. This wasn't the first time I did that, two years without sex is a big deal for a guy who's waiting for a girl to realise I love her. I've been having multiple flings before this, but with every person I always imagine them as Max. It doesn't change anything though.

I've wanted her for two years (maybe even more), but she's been with other guys and so I decided I'd wait. Except while I waited I was being an absolute dickhead. I've slept with so many girls hoping they were Max, It's like I've been cheating on her for two years.

But I guess it isn't cheating if the girl you love has no idea you love her, right? I started the car. I freaking hope so.

-Max's POV-

"Iggy" I whined "I wanted the _other _movie"

"Yeah" Ella said backing me up "This one doesn't have any hot guys in it"

"Oh no!" Iggy swooned dramatically "It's a disaster! Maybe next time we'll get one about naked men at a beach, just for you kids!"

I folded my arms "Naked men won't cut it. I'm gonna need a serious gang of chocolate bunnies with machine guns and ninja suits"

"Well guess what" Iggy said taking a seat next to me "I don't really care about what we watch, since I can't even _see_"

I nudged him "Maybe one day we'll get you a video full of moaning and panting and you can make up your own fantasy"

Iggy smiled, probably picturing something dirty. "Yeah. One day" he said dreaming.

Ella walked into the room with popcorn and drinks and took a seat beside me.

"Besides" Iggy said reaching for the snacks "I'm only here for the popcorn"

We started watching the movie and that was all I remember, I think I fell asleep when the fat evil dude was about to blow off someone's head.

"Igs" I muttered

"Yeah. Are you tired?" He asked reaching out and pulling me towards him.

"Mmm" I mumbled as I rubbed my eyes lazily "Is the killing almost over?"

"Nope" he said rubbing my back as I cuddled into him "They still have to rip off another guys head"

"That's lovely" I rested my head on his shoulder and fell asleep just as the TV let out a blood curdling scream. I was never really one for movie night.

-Iggy's POV-

The sounds of slaughter and screaming and war cries...ah, music to my ears. What? I'm a guy; it's all my ears were made for. Then, like a three month old baby holding a machete, a small ding-dong sound was heard just as a man cried "It's not over! I will seek revenge!"

"Um...Ella?" I asked "Did the villain just get a visitor?"

She laughed; she sounded beautiful when she laughs, I bet she looked just as amazing.

"No Igs, I think that was our doorbell" she paused the movie and I heard her footsteps fade as she walked over to the door.

I felt Max move against my shoulder. I tightened my grip around her waist and rubbed her back gently. This kid was a sucker for cuddles even though she'll never admit it. I felt her body relax as she fell back asleep. My cuddles kick serious butt.

"Oh my god..." I heard Ella breathe. I heard another pair of feet enter the house. Hold on...I know the sound of those feet.

"You're finally home." Ella said, I heard the ruffling of material and by the sounds of it she was hugging him.

That's right. Fang's home. Now I'm not really one for emotion but...I missed the faggot. I noticed there was something about the way he walked that was different, like he was nervous. I wouldn't blame him, the love his life turned him down and he ran away to god-knows-where.

"I missed you so much, you jackass" Ella said into his shirt. Wow, El, smooth.

"Yeah same here you piece of crud" I called from the couch "Next time you leave for three days at least bring back some food when you get home."

He grunted his response and asked Ella something that I didn't catch.

"She's sleeping beside Iggy" Ella answered him as she walked back to her seat.

"Why didn't anyone take her to bed?" He asked I caught something in his voice; it was a lot more than just nervousness.

"Because she fell asleep during the best bit and I'm such an oh-so-horrible brother that wasn't bothered putting his little sister to bed" I said sarcastically. I felt Fang glaring at me and I sighed "Dude, I'm kidding, she wanted a cuddle. Chillax will you?"

"Yeah Fang, wanna watch the movie with us?' Ella asked picking up the remote.

He turned to the screen "You guys were watching that?" he asked.

"What's so wrong about mass murder?" I asked defensively.

"Max was watching that?" he accused.

I sighed. How overprotective can this guy be? He's the one that left Max in the first place. "She slept as soon as the first guy got his head blown off"

Fang went quite. "I'm going to go have a shower" he muttered

I shrugged. "On the with gore!" I pointed in the general direction of the screen as Ella resumed the movie and the sounds of absolute hell filled my ears. Ah, it's beautiful isn't it?

-Max's POV-

I felt strong arms carrying me upstairs. The same arms that I used to wrestle with when I was a kid, except now his arms were hard and gorgeous.

"You're a jerk" I muttered into his chest, but I tightened my arms around his neck anyway. What can I say? I missed the douche bag.

"I know" he whispered into my ear. "Go back to sleep"

I tugged at his hair, not bothered punching him. "you leave for more than two freaking days and then you come back and hold me like an angel and now you're telling me to go back to sleep? I can't sleep now!"

"I don't want you to be tired"

"I'm freaking exhausted!"

"Yeah and when you're exhausted, you're grumpy"

"Shut up. You're an absolute dickhead"

"I know"

"I'm going to bash you so bad"

"I deserve it"

"Yeah you freaking do"

"Go to sleep"

"I will, but when I wake up I'm gonna smash your beautiful face into a wall, ruin your hair and chain you to fence and leave you to starve, that'll teach you a lesson next time you decide to leave me for three freaking days"

He looked down at me and then his lips were suddenly connected to mine. The kiss was slow and passionate. He was so soft, so gentle, like if he kissed me too hard I'll fall apart in his arms. "I've missed you too" he murmured.

We were in my room now and he lowered me slowly onto the bed. I stayed connected to his amazing lips and tightened my arms around his neck. "I hate you" I muttered. I kissed him with so much longing and desperation that I felt him tense up. He seemed to hesitate before pulling me tightly to him. We parted our lips and he stared down at me. I looked up at him not leaving his gaze. I've turned away from those eyes too many times, I've said no to him and I've run away from his welcoming arms. I'm not going to do that anymore.

I buried my face into his shirt and he held me in his arms. I felt him kiss the top of my head and I nuzzled into his neck. "Where were you?" I whispered. I sounded pained and maybe I was, maybe his leaving hurt me; I missed him too much.

"Just at an old friends place" he buried his face in my hair.

"Why didn't you call mum or something?" I said pulling away from him. "You know she sent the police to look for you?"

"I'm sorry. I guess I just didn't want to talk to anyone"

"You answered my texts" I pointed out.

He smiled and lowered his face down to me "you're an exception." He whispered. His lips were so close I felt his breathe on my nose; I just wanted to kiss him again, and then he hesitated and pulled back "Go to sleep"

I smacked his arm lightly and pulled the covers away. I cuddled into the sheets and realised how exhausted I was. Fang leaned down and kissed my forehead. "G'night, baby" he whispered. My heart almost exploded when he said that and I wanted to pull him into the bed with me, I wanted to stay pressed up against him for the whole night, to feel his heart beat and feel his strong arms lingering on my waist; protecting me from the world.

But that didn't happen. I heard him walk over to my door and then he spun around. "Oh Max" he said.

I crossed my fingers. "Please change your mind and stay with me tonight" I begged inside my head.

He hesitated. "Uh...goodnight"

He left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. I stayed with my head buried deep in my pillows for a little while, and then I supported myself with my elbow and sat up. I just stared at the door. I imagined him opening it again and walking over to me with his arms out and his eyes full of love. I fell back onto my pillow. I loved him, yet I couldn't find the guts to say it.

I woke up relaxed and refreshed. That's not right...something is definitely wrong. I never wake up relaxed. I was way too comfortable and I hadn't even fallen out of bed yet. I looked over at my glowing alarm clock on my bedside table. 12:03am.

I groaned and rolled over. I didn't hear any thud or feel myself hit the floor. I felt way too...nice and comfortable. I rolled over again and felt my hand connect with something hard. I smiled "That's right, my floor has come back to haunt me. Everything is back to normal..." Just then the 'floor' grew a hand and its fingers curled around my fist and gently rubbed the back of my hand. I pulled back sharply.

"Sssh" A voice hushed from the darkness. My heart rate accelerated.

"Get the frigging hell out of my room you god damn pervert" I growled. The person in the shadows pulled me closer to his chest. I struggled and kicked, but he was made from eighteen years of muscle and strength so naturally I had no chance. "Stop kicking will you! You're going to wake up the whole house"

I succumbed to his sexiness and let him hold me. He rubbed my back gently and I bit my tongue forcing myself not to scream, cuss or just cry like a baby because the love of my life was sleeping in my bed at 12 o'clock in the morning.

This love thing was really making me soft.

"Go away" I squeaked. Ugh, I couldn't believe it, I just _squeaked. _

"I don't want to" He whispered back as he pulled me closer still.

I forced myself to breathe. "What do you want?"

"You." he said almost immediately.

I tried to pull away but he held me to his chest, he wasn't rough or hard, in fact he was perfect. He was gentle yet firm and his body was definitely the type I would want to cuddle into for forever. Don't ever tell him I said that. He still thinks he's the mighty man of the house.

"Fang" I said trying hard not to reach up and kiss him "I was sleeping and you woke me up, I'm tired and I want you out of my room"

He went quiet and then in a nervous voice he said "Can I ask you something first?"

"No" I answered immediately. I wanted him out of my room because if he stayed here for another minute I might have no choice but to kiss him like crazy. I'm losing self control and it's this entire sexy lunatics fault.

"Please? And then I'll leave" he begged

I didn't answer him for the fear of my lips coming into contact with his and that maybe once I start I'll never stop.

He sighed "Is it me?"

That took me by surprise. "What?" I asked shocked.

"You don't love me"

Wrong.

"Is it something I did? Was this all too sudden for you?"

I love you like crazy how could you say such a thing? Oh, that's right, I'm such a gutless wimp that I can't even tell him how I feel so now he thinks I don't love him. I wanted to wack myself like crazy.

"Max?" He said, his voice was pleading with me. I don't like it when he does that, his face scrunches up in worry and the desperation in his voice pulls my heart apart. "Just answer me and I'll leave" he paused "I won't even kiss you anymore if that's what you want"

Holy crap he's threatening to take away his gorgeous lips! Someone stop him, he's crazy! Hold on...the only person that can is me. Gee, the world always picks the wrong saviour.

"Max?" he whispered.

What the hell do I say?

"I love you but"

I love you too! I love you like crazy; can't you see how much you're hurting me?

"If you don't love me like I do you"

I DO I DO!

"You can do what you want I'm not going to stop you, but please," his voice was strained and it hurt me just to listen to him in so much pain "Please, just let me love you for a little longer?"

That's it you crazy bastard. I wriggled up in the bed and smacked my lips against his; he stayed there shocked, but eventually locked his lips into mine and tightened his arms around my waist. He pulled me closer to him so that our hips were pressed together; I knotted my fingers in his hair and pulled his face closer to mine. I whimpered as I kissed him. Really, he was making me soft. He moaned and pulled away as we both remembered to breathe.

"I hate you so much" I growled at him

He flinched. "What?"

"How the hell could you possibly think I didn't love you? You threatened to take away your lips, what is the matter with you? You ran away from home and then you come back and carry me to my room and then just _leave _and now you're lying in my bed in the middle of the bloody night telling me that I don't love you! You're crazy and you're stupid and you are the most amazing person in history, I mean seriously, do you know what kind of marathon my heart runs whenever I see you? Do you know the effect you have on every single girl that sees you? No, I don't think so, because you only think about yourself and you're so selfish—no I'm sorry I said that! I didn't mean it! You're amazing you crazy son of a-"

"I love you"

"I hate you so much" I cried tears. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. What would I do without those arms? I have no idea.

He stayed in my room for the rest of the night, whispering beautiful words in my ear, playing with my hair and rubbing my back gently. It was the best night of my life considering my embarrassing rant that had nothing to do with him what so ever. Now that I think about it, it described me more than him. I was stupid and selfish and had no idea what pain he was going through every time I turned away.

-Fang's POV-

I watched her sleep throughout that whole night. I don't think I got any sleep myself, every time I would doze off I'd remember whose bed I was in and I'd wake up and watch her like she'll be gone tomorrow.

I couldn't get Lissa out of my head though. I know its wrong, to think of someone else while I was holding another. But I wasn't thinking of her in that way, I was thinking of how stupid I was this morning, I mean...yesterday morning. The only one I could ever love was Max and here she was, curled up in a little ball pressed up against me in the dark and I was holding here as she slept.

I love her. Heck, I love her like a druggie loves his heroin, but I was so struck by guilt that I guess...I don't know, I felt like I didn't deserve her anymore.

It hurt to look at her sleeping so peacefully, it hurt to remember how she turned away and ran when I said I loved her and it hurt even more to know that I had sex with another person just yesterday, someone I didn't even love and she didn't even know about it. It hurt me so much to know I cheated. If I could take it back I would, but unfortunately I'm never really that lucky.

**A/N: well that was like the longest chapter I've ever written...I hope you liked it. **

**Review for Fang and his poor guilt that is eating away inside his heart. **

**Fang: *glares***

**Well you know what to do. Click it! That button...right down there, you know where it is. **


	10. Stupid college

**HAHA! ...Oh sorry, was I laughing? *clears throat* on with the story. **

**I should probably be studying shouldn't I...meh, I feel bad for making you guys wait so long, and this chap probably doesn't even cut it. So I'm sorry! Take Iggy! Take him if it makes you happy!**

**Iggy: ...uh**

***sniffle* Okay start the story. **

I got up early and went for a run. Hold on...did I just say that? Early? And running? In the same sentence...? Woah...what the heck?

Anyway, but yes, believe it or not, here I am running my ass off in the cold 6am air with no one on the street. Just how I like it.

This morning I woke up to Fang's arm tightly wrapped around my waist. He hadn't been sleeping which was quite obvious; his eyes were all reddish purple and he didn't look relaxed at all. When I started to wriggle, he tightened his grip around me and jolted awake as if it was some kind of reflex. Fang pulled me towards his chest and buried his face in my neck, kissing me gently. After that, getting up seemed like the last thing I wanted to do.

"Are you leaving me already?" he murmured.

I told him I was just going for a run, he had a laugh at the fact that I was getting up _early _to _run_. I didn't believe it myself either. After pushing him out of my room and changing into something comfortable, I left the house without breakfast and here I am now. It's freezing yet I'm burning like crazy, it's horrible, it's aching, but for some reason I like it. Apparently I think well when I'm in these conditions. Weird? You betcha.

So...I was doing some thinking about the shirtless guy I had to kick out of my room. Cue fan girl scream at the thought of Fang shirtless and sleeping in my bed. I know, it's hot and he's mine, so lay off. But yeah, back to my thinking. He's graduating year twelve in a week; well his formal is in a week he actually finishes school a bit before that. What happens after graduation? University/college. What happens to me? I go into a crying fest because Fang won't be driving me home from school anymore, not to mention the fact that he'll be _leaving _and not living with me. Do you see my problem? Me too. Do you see the solution? Cue crickets in the background.

I didn't think so.

I got back home at 7am, bursting through the front door and yelling like a freaking maniac. "Water!" I wheezed "Give me...the water!"

Ella opened the fridge and handed me a bottle. She was the only one awake at seven in the morning. "Don't drink it too fast or you'll get a—"

I skolled the thing down like a parched...stuff it. I _was _a parched animal.

"A stitch..." Ella finished looking at me like I was nuts. She had that right. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and sighed. That felt good. Remind me never to go running for an hour without water. I sat at the kitchen table and Ella handed me a plate packed with eggs. I stared hungrily at the poor little chick that was never born. Which reminds me, a chicken or a bird or anything that lays an egg is the only animal you are able to eat before its born and after its dead. See? I'm educational.

"So how was last night?" Ella asked sitting across from me.

I stuffed my face with breakfast "what do you mean?"

"Fang wasn't in his room and then suddenly this morning you decide to go for a run" she smirked at me "Early in the morning too"

I swallowed, both in nervousness and because I had way too much food in my mouth. "I had to think" I said "About...stuff"

"What kind of stuff?"

"Stuff people think about"

"What stuff do people think about?"

"Just...stuff"

Ella sighed and stood up. "Well, if you ever need to talk, I'm not going anywhere"

"Okay, _mum" _I rolled my eyes. She walked up the stairs and guess whose room she entered? Drum roll please...

IGGY'S!

I know what kind of stuff _she _thinks about. I laughed to myself and suddenly stopped. Okay that was a SICK mental image. I know you guys were thinking it too! Don't deny it!

Fang snuck up behind me and kissed the top of my head, "You took a while"

I swallowed. Again because my mouth was so full and because the hottest guy just snuck up behind me and I didn't even hear it. "Don't kiss me" I warned.

"Why not?" he asked with a pout as he took a seat beside me.

"I'm full of egg" I replied. He looked over at me and smiled "I'll wait then"

He was in for a long wait.

"So why did you leave this morning?"

"I told you, I went for a run"

"For an hour?"

"Surprisingly yes." And then I remembered it was only 7am; a normal wake up time for everyone else, but really unusual for Fang. "Since when do you wake up at seven?"

He shrugged.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" I asked remembering his tired eyes.

"Did you?"

"Yes"

"Good" he gave me a small smile. I got up and put my plate in the sink.

I turned around to see Fang standing right behind me with an amazing smile dancing on his lips. He put his hands on the kitchen sink either side of me so that he had me trapped in front of him. He leaned down his head and kissed along my jaw line making me shiver at his amazing touch. His lips met mine suddenly and I immediately melted into him, feeling his lips moving with mine. We pulled away from each other and he licked his lips making me want to kiss him all over again.

"You do taste like egg" he said with a chuckle.

My face went hot and I turned away in embarrassment. He pulled my chin back up and kissed me again, moving his body closer and leaning his hips against mine. The kiss was slow but it became faster, every time he would lift his hand and run his fingers along my back, down my arms and along my collar bone. My knees felt like buckling at his touch, he was absolutely perfect. He bent his head lower, forcing me to arch my back as he kissed my neck, licking and biting where he could. I let out a little whimper that I didn't even know I could manage. I felt him smile as he kissed up my neck and returned to his rightful place against my lips.

"By the way" he said pulling away from me slightly "In response to your question, I didn't get any sleep last night"

Was it me? I thought. Maybe he just didn't like sleeping beside me. "Why not?" I asked. I bit my lip and saw his eyes linger on them, I knew he wanted more.

He moved his hands from the sink and played with a lock of my brown hair. "I was too busy watching you" he kissed my neck gently and it took all my concentration not to bring his lips back to mine. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks again. "You were watching me?" I asked surprised "All night? Why?"

He shrugged again.

"Tell me, Fang. What the hell would posses you to _stare _at me while I sleep?" I was kind of creeped out now.

"I wasn't staring at you" he said with his jaw tight.

"Well then?" I pushed

"I was thinking." He said quietly turning away from me.

"Thinking?" I repeated "About what?"

"About...stuff"

Wow, it's like déjà vu

I shrugged. "Fine. Think all you like" I tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he held me tighter. "It was about you" he said hurriedly.

I paused. Fang was thinking about me as I slept? Wow, I wonder what he thought about... okay I caught you! You and your sick mental images! Stop that right now!

"Me?" I asked him

He kissed me and nodded. "And about graduation"

Yup, definitely déjà vu.

"What about it?"

"I got accepted into uni" he stated nervously, searching for my reaction.

Shit. I swallowed hard and I think I felt my heart break.

"Good for you"

He sighed and lowered his eyes "It's far away, Max"

I knew it! I knew this was going to happen. I could feel the tears filling my eyes, but I blinked them back. I wasn't going to cry about stupid uni or college or whatever the hell he was leaving me for. Actually...that sounds like a pretty good idea right now. "That's okay" I said. Lies. I knew my voice sounded funny, I hope Fang wouldn't notice.

"I'm going to have to..." he drifted off.

Leave? I thought to myself. Of course he meant leave. He took a deep breath and connected his lips with mine kissing me ferociously and in desperation. "I don't want to go" he said between kisses. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him like there was no tomorrow. He couldn't leave me. Not now not ever. It took the jerk two years to admit something and then bam, uni pulls us apart.

Fang reached up behind his head and removed my hands. He placed them down at my sides and let go of my lips. I stared up at him; I could see he didn't want to leave.

"We've still got time you know" he said reassuringly "We've got a couple weeks, maybe even a couple of months and then we have holidays. It's not that bad."

"What about after that?"

He stayed quiet "I'll think of something"

"Just don't go" I told him "say no to the place and find something closer"

"I can't" he said "I've tried, but there's no one closer. This one is the closest"

I refrained from crying.

"How far away?"

"Three hours" he said painfully "I'll have to live on campus."

"No!" I yelled and hit his chest.

"Max, please. Don't make this any harder"

"How many times can I visit?" I asked. A stray tear fell down my cheek. Stupid emotions.

"I don't know"

"What if you find a girlfriend there?" What the hell was I saying?

"I won't"

"Why not? Is it all boys?"

"No"

"Then you _will _find a stupidly smart college girl over there!"

"I won't"

"Don't deny it, it's inevitable. You leave, you find a girl and you come back, get married and have ten kids and rub it in my face"

"What the hell, Max?"

"And you're gonna be so happy aren't you?" I asked, now crying freely. There was no use hiding the tears. "You're going to leave and forget all about me"

"Never!" He seemed hurt and angered by my judgement.

"You will!" I yelled at him "Because once you find a smart funny red headed bitch you can relate to, you're going to ask her out straight away and as soon as you guys kiss I'll be out of your memory forever!"

"SHUT UP!" he threw me against a wall and pinned my wrists over my head. He stared intently into my eyes, forcing me to look away; only whenever I did he'll kiss me and say he'll never leave. Never forget.

I knew he was lying; he's good at it too. Because once when he kissed me so passionately, making my knees buckle and my heart stop, I believed him. And then he held me in his arms and whispered words that I'll never forget. "I love you" he said "And I'll only ever love you, no one else is going to get in the way of that. So shut up about girlfriends and ten kids."

"But what if you do fall in love with someone else?" I asked between my pathetic sobbing.

"Then it won't be love will it" it wasn't a question, he really meant. He kissed me gently and I cried into him.

Stupid college

Stupid distance

Stupid campus

Stupid love

**A/N: stupid Iggy. **

**Iggy: Hey! That wasn't part of the story!**

**You stole my mango! **

**Iggy: what?**

**Me: *running after Iggy***

**Iggy: HELP! I'm being chased by a crazy fanatic! **

**Me: that's right! I crazy fanatic that wants her cookie!**

**Iggy: I thought I stole your mango**

**Me: THAT TOO!**


	11. A night in Fangs head

**This chapter is all in Fangs POV. It was a little hard to right since he's a guy...but whatever it was fun too. I hope you like it. And I'm so sorry I haven't been updating consistently...it's just, well, I hate math. Let's just say that. **

That night I told Ella and Iggy about my leaving. They congratulated me and told me they were proud—all that stuff I actually felt good about. Iggy threw a cake at me...which was unusual, but he said something about it being a congrats present. I don't see how that works but whatever, it was a nice cake.

I stayed in Max's room for the second night last night and held her tight as I watched her sleep. Call it creepy, call it stalkerish I don't care; I loved her while she slept, she looked so relaxed and calm sometimes I wondered what she dreamt about, if she knew I watched her with so much admiration and longing or if I was ever in her thoughts because I knew she was always in mine.

I heard the front door open and close. This was the reason why I was staying awake until late, to talk to Dr M. And yes to watch Max. But I had come up with idea as I looked at her sleeping figure, I could never live without her or spend a night alone in my bed without her in my arms, not to mention leaving for god-knows-how-long to a college three freaking hours away. I just couldn't do that to her; to us. So I had come up with an idea, I could take her with me, she could rent an apartment close to the college and transfer schools so she could still get an education and graduate. I wanted permission from my mum, it was a long shot, but it was worth a try.

Gently, I moved my arms from Max's waist, I saw her twitch a little at the absence of my body, but I kissed her forehead and reassured I wouldn't leave. She had been crying a lot before and those words were the only ones that could calm her down. I felt my heart break every time I see her reaction knowing that I might be lying to her.

I left the room quietly and made my way downstairs. "Doctor Martinez?"

"Oh, Fang why are you awake?" over the years mum has become accustomed to our nicknames, she usually only uses our real names when in public or when she's really mad and restrains herself from punching you, because she's such a good mum.

"I wanted to speak to you" I told her. I'm nervous, why the hell am I nervous? Actually, better yet, why am I even doing this?

"Yes, is everything alright?" she asked absentmindedly as she fiddled with the groceries. Why would someone buy so much food so late at night?

"I got accepted into the college I applied for" There was no enthusiasm in my voice. What did you expect? Me jumping over the moon? Please, only cows do that. Mum dropped her shopping bags and ran over to me, engulfing me in a tight hug. I hate hugs. Except from Max, they're the only hugs I'll take without smashing someone's face in. "That's wonderful! Congratulations sweet heart" mum said bubbling with happiness.

"Not exactly" I muttered as I pulled away. Deep breathe. In out in out, who ever came up with the idea of breathing while you're nervous obviously wasn't nervous as he tried it. I felt like choking.

"What's wrong?" mum asked looking me in the eye.

Here we go. Cue idiotic moment. "I'm...I've been having..." Deep breathes not working. "I think I've developed feelings for Max"

This is as bad as admitting to your parents you're gay. Mum just stared at me with her mouth slightly open. Run, Fang, run!

"Max? She repeated over again "you mean...you like her, more than a brother?"

If that's how you pit it than yes. I nodded at her "For two years"

Stupid! You don't tell your mum you loved your sister for two years! "For two years and no one told me?" Mum exploded. See what I mean? She began counting on her fingers. "That means you've kept this away from me ever since she was fourteen! Fourteen Fang! Do you know how young that is?"

Shit.

"I knew this would happen. Adopting you two boys...I knew something like this would happen."

Was she regretting adopting me? She rubbed her temples and sat down on the lounge. "Have you two...done anything?"

I flinched. "No. I wouldn't ever do that if she wasn't ready"

"That's damn right you won't! She's too young for you!"

What? "Mum, we're two years apart"

"So?" I knew what it was. It wasn't age or the fact that we lived together. It was because I was eighteen and she was her daughter, Dr M was afraid of losing her.

Well that rules out my next question.

"What did you want to ask me, Fang?" she sighed "I don't see what my daughter has to do with college"

"I don't want to leave her" I said quietly, waiting for her to explode into my face.

There was silence and then mum turned to me with a confused look. "You don't want to go to college because of Max?"

Now we cue the idiocy. "With your permission and support...I would like to take her with me"

Cue explosion and the end of the world as we know it.

Mum stayed silent. It's always the silent ones that are the deadliest. She spoke quietly as she went back to her shopping bag and returned the last of her groceries. "I'm sorry, Nick" she said. "She's too young for this"

I think my heart just broke. I can't tell, maybe it was already broken.

She used my name. Bad sign, it means I went too far, I got on her nerves, I made her angry and now she is trying extremely hard not to strangle me.

"Doctor Martinez...you don't understand. What I feel isn't just teenage emotions. I'm in...I'm in love with her. It hurts me to leave her behind."

"Nick, you're an adult. I trust you, I do. But this is my daughter we're talking about. I can't let you take her from me."

"I've thought this over" I pushed. The thought of Max and I splitting was too much, I couldn't do it, I just couldn't leave her and not see her for almost four years or maybe more. "Maybe she could transfer schools, rent an apartment, I could support her financially and in every way I can"

"She's too young!" Mum yelled at me. She was starting to get emotional. Max couldn't leave her family behind, but I couldn't live without Max. I hated this, I wish I was her age, or she was mine, that way no one had to leave anyone.

"She's sixteen" I said. I wasn't going to lose her. "By law, she's able to leave home."

"She's my daughter Nickolas" there was that name again. "I love her, she's my life. You don't understand these things"

"Believe me, Doctor M. I think I understand." I understand how it feels to love someone so much it hurts to see them turn away; I understand the connection between people that thread that doesn't like to be stretched too far. I wasn't a hormonal teenager anymore, I love Max and she probably doesn't understand the extent of that right now, but not being able to hold her, see her, hear her voice or feel her lips against mine hurts like crazy. Like that thread inside has been stretched way too far and it's on the verge of snapping.

"S-so you've loved her for how long?" mum stuttered nervously. She fiddled with her bag and knew I hit a place in her that I shouldn't have touched.

"More than two years" I said looked away. I should probably just go back to my room, this discussion seems like it's over already.

"And does she know your intentions?" mum asked.

"I thought I'd ask your permission first. You see when I told her I had to leave, she broke down. It hurt to see her like that and I only want what's best for her."

"Don't you dare tell me what's best for my daughter!"

"I'm sorry" yeah...maybe I should just leave. I turned to go and saw Max standing at the top of the stairs rubbing her eyes lazily, she made her way down and mum ran up to her engulfing her in a tight hug. "What are you doing up so late?"

Max looked over mums shoulders and sent me a look. I saw something in them, I don't know what it was exactly, but it hurt. "I'm just getting a drink" Max mumbled.

"Okay, don't stay up too late" Mum said giving me a look that said something along the lines of touch-her-kiss-her-hurt-her-and-I-will-murder-you-willingly-with-a-pair-of-scissors. I'm not even kidding.

She walked upstairs and entered her room with a quiet close of the door. Max made her way to the fridge and took out a carton of chocolate milk. I leaned over the counter next to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. "So why are you really up?"

She bent her head back so she could kiss me. "I rolled over and fell"

I nibbled at her earlobe, I didn't want to tell her the news or hurt her by saying we didn't have any hope.

"I figured" she said walking out of my arms and returning the carton to the fridge. "That when you're sleeping beside me, I don't fall, but when I fell I knew you'd left and I was going to wake up and bash you...but I kind of stopped when I heard mum shouting"

Crap. She heard the conversation? "What did you hear?" I asked her.

She shrugged and drank her milk. "Something about you loving me"

I paled. That much, huh? Well that sucks.

She looked at me over her glass and smiled. "I'm kidding, Romeo"

I let out a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding.

"So what were you talking about?" she asked as she put her glass in the sink and walked into my arms. I kissed her forehead. "Just college"

"Oh _that" _she said as if she was spitting out her words. She had a disgusted look on her face when I mentioned it. Her hand held mine and she pulled me with her upstairs to her room. She crawled under the covers and I watched her shiver a bit before she got comfortable. "Well?" she asked expecting me to follow her under. "You don't want me to fall off again do you?"

I smiled at her and lifted the blankets before crawling in after her. To be honest I was kind of worried about what my mum would think when she found us in the same bed...

As soon as my legs entered the bed she pounced on me and nuzzled her face into my neck. "No thinking tonight, okay? I'm going to make sure you sleep" she said kissing me softly.

I couldn't take it anymore. "Max?"

She looked up at me with a worried face. "What? You don't want to sleep here?"

"No it's not that" I said pulling her closer. "What would you say...if I told you...that I told mum...that I was crazily in love with you and she went bezerk?"

"I would call you an absolute idiot for even trying to tell her that and expecting a good reaction." She said looking me straight in the eye.

"But it's true, I do love you" I kissed her passionately and felt her body relax against mine.

"But there's a reason why Iggy and Ella didn't tell mum they had sex a million times"

"A million?" I raised an eyebrow "Wow that blind guy is lucky"

"You're a sexist pig" she said kissing me harder than I would've thought. I didn't bother pulling away to come up with a smart-ass come back. I rolled on top her, forever weary of that door bursting open and a crazy eyed mum coming in with scissors and a death wish. I pressed my hips down on hers and grinded into her slightly. I kissed her lips with urgency when she whimpered at the feeling of me getting harder against her. I then made my way down her jaw, neck and collar bone and then coming back up. I stopped at the small hole where the neck and jaw meet, I kissed it and bit it softly, not wanted to hurt her or make or scream just in case the Lady with Scissors comes for my blood. She moaned and I felt her hands reach under my shirt and travel down my lower back. I felt my throat vibrate with pleasure at her touch. I sucked and bit at her collar bone a little harder. I heard her inhale deeply and felt the goose bumps as I licked over her new bite.

"Fang..." She breathed. I felt her hands reach under the elastic of my pants. I froze and pulled my face away from hers to look into her eyes. "Max, we don't have to do this"

"But you want to you" she paused "I can feel it"

I knew what she meant, I was getting hard against her, but I also knew that she wasn't ready for this. She was nervous and shaky. "I'm not going to have sex with you just to prove I love you" I said firmly.

"I want you to" she said.

"No you don't." I rolled off her and pulled her too me when I was on my side. "It'll hurt Max"

"Doesn't matter" she said pressing her face to my neck.

"I don't want to hurt you"

"But you want it don't you?" she questioned and ran her fingers down my arm.

"I do but..." I shook my head. "Max, I'm not going to do that to you, I love you and you know it, you don't need me to screw you to prove that." I was angry at her offering yourself for me. I wanted it, hell I wanted it bad, but I wasn't going to take away her virginity tonight, it wasn't right to do that to her.

"Are you sure you're not just turning me down because you don't love me like that?"

"What the hell, Max?" I kissed her gently. "I'm not doing it _because _I love you" I chuckled a bit "Now stop turning me on, I'm going to have a shower"

I saw her smile and she kissed me hard almost knocking me senseless, this girl could be seductive when she wanted to. I kissed her back and gave her a tight hug before leaving for a cold shower.

"You'll be back right?" she asked from under the covers.

"Yes" If crazy lady doesn't attack me first...

I came back from the shower and crawled under the covers to find a sleeping Max. Did I really take that long?

Max woke up at the feeling of my body against hers again. She rubbed her eyes which made her look adorable. Yes people, adorable is in the emo vocabulary. "You have fun in there?" she asked lazily resting her head on my chest.

"Not as much as I wanted" I joked.

She looked up at me, obviously not realising it was a joke. "You're so gross"

"Mm..." I kissed her forehead. "That's why you love me"

She got comfortable and started to drift off. "Max?" I rubbed her back.

She grunted her response.

"If you could come with me when I go to college would you?"

She went silent before moving her head and resting her chin on my chest to look up at me. "I'm too young to go to college"

"I mean...if you could transfer schools and live closer to me?"

She laughed "you're gonna have to get past mum first"

I frowned "I asked her and it didn't turn out that great...but maybe if you persuaded her, since you're her oh-so-loving daughter and I'm the adopted idiot who fell in love with his sister."

She raised an eyebrow, man she looked cute when she did that. "You make it sound incest"

"I'm just saying maybe mum would let us"

She smiled "Can you live with me?"

"If its close enough then yes"

She wriggled closer and nuzzled my chest. "Can you sleep in my bed too?"

I kissed her forehead. I couldn't even sleep by myself anymore. "Of course I would"

"Yay" she muttered and in seconds she was asleep.

What are the chances she took me seriously?

Negative five on a scale of 1 to 10. Great.

**Woot! I finished one hour of study without falling asleep! This is an achievement for someone who has to sleep every three hours. **

**I hope you guys liked the chapter and don't kill me if it sucks, do that before the math exam and I'll give you free cookies from my grave. **

**Next chapter is being written now so hopefully it won't take that long. **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I'm so horrible at this consistent updating thing aren't I? Oh look a pony...ew. **

Fang had gone with Iggy to some top-secret-masculine-thingy and I was left at home with Ella and cream cheese. Ella stared at me in that disgusted way only older siblings can muster "Can you please stop stuffing your face with that?" she grimaced.

"I'm bored and hungry so unless you have something better for me to do than no, I will not stop." Now that I think back...I really shouldn't have said that. Ella had dragged me out of the house and taken me to her friend's house, where she gets these friends is a mystery. I groaned as Ella pulled me up the couple of stairs to the front door, "Ella, I don't want to meet your weirdo friend"

"She's not weird"

"Everyone you know is weird!" I pointed out. She turned to me, "That means you're weird too" **(actual convo between my older bro and I. A shameless day let me tell you :P)**

I glared at her just as a tall seventeen-ish looking year old with light brown curls answered the door. "Hi!" she said enthusiastically embracing me in a tight hug. "You must be Max. Can I call you Max or do you prefer Maximum?" she made it sound so serious. She stared at me intently like she was begging for the answer to the meaning of life. I really don't want to be here. Ella nudged my side and I glared at her, I turned back to the brunette and put my hands on her shoulders as I looked at her with the same intensity she used on me. "I really, _really _don't give a damn" I said with an innocent smile.

"Great!" she jumped excitedly with a brilliant smile.

I stared at her blankly. You're kidding right?

I grunted as Ella pushed me through the doorway, my eyes landed on a giant fridge. The cleanest, biggest, whitest fridge EVER. I stared at it, dazed. "You got any food in that thing?"

"Of course we do!" Ella's brunette friend said laughing.

"I love you!" I screamed running over to the fridge with my arms out.

-Fang's POV-

"So remind me again, why did you come with me?" I said focusing on the road and at the annoying blonde beside me.

"Well" He began "Ella said that before a guy's formal he has to go with guy friends and buy guy stuff"

"Igs...I hate to break it to you, but you're blind. I don't see how you could possibly help me pick out a suit or anything guyish."

"I could check the fabric?" He suggested. I sighed and parked the car in the driveway of a huge building. I got out of the car and took a deep breath. Iggy laughed. "You make it sound so horrible" He took a couple of steps forward and collided with the glass screen.

I rolled my eyes. It was going to be a long day.

-Max's POV-

I moaned in satisfaction as another soft creamy slice of cake melted on my tongue. Now don't get me wrong, I'm no junky. I eat like a maniac however and yet I still find ways to burn it all off. I'm like...superwoman.

"So how's the relationship with you and Iggy going?" Ella's friend asked, whose name turned out be Katlyn.

Ella shrugged "Oh, you know..."

"Any arguments lately?"

Huh? Ella and Iggy are the tightest couple I know.

"A little, but he's good. They don't get bad; he leaves for a while and cools down."

Uh...okay.

"How about you" Katlyn asked "Are you coping?"

"Yeah Ella" I decided to but in. "_Are _you coping?"

Both of the girls turned to me, I glared at Ella. What wasn't she telling me and why?

"Yeah Max. I am coping. Are _you _coping?"

"With what?"

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You don't know?"

"Know about what?" I said slowly. I had completely forgotten about my cake. I took a bite out of it and choked at what Ella said next. "Mum's got a boyfriend"

I spluttered and took a gulp of my water. "She has _what _with whom? Since when?"

Ella shrugged "I thought Fang would've told you"

"Why would you suspect that?" I asked embarrassed.

"Because the guy hasn't been talking to us. It's all about spending time with Max. Oh Max, sexy Max, Max Max Max." She crooned, dragging out my name and mimicking stupid voices. He doesn't say that...he doesn't say sexy...and Max...in the same sentence. Heck, he doesn't even talk in sentences around people.

"So?" I was getting angry. He wasn't that obsessed...was he?

"So why don't you guys just go far away, get married, have cute little babies and live happily ever after?"

"Ella, what the heck?" I said shocked. Why was she so mad at me?

"Hey" Katlyn said "Calm down El."

"I'm sorry, Max" Ella sighed.

"Where's all this coming from? I thought you were okay with Fang and I. And what's all this about mum and boyfriends?"

Katlyn and Ella sighed and exchanged glances. I gulped. Here we go.

"Iggy and I have been fighting..." Ella started.

No duh...

"It's nothing big" she added in hurriedly "It's just...it's been so long and we've been living in secret all this time, Iggy's sick of it, he said he wants mum to know because hiding and loving me at the same time is too much"

I shook my head "It's not a good idea"

Ella turned to me "That's what I said to him, mum won't accept it"

I nodded "Fang tried and mum kind of..."

"Exploded" Ella finished.

"Yeah" I said turning back to the table for some cake.

"But that's not it. Mum's boyfriend kind of...sort of walked in on us"

I coughed and spluttered as I choked on my cake. Why must this always happen while I'm eating? I gulped down some water and coughed a little more.

"Crap" I said. Some random walks in on a three year secret. That must...suck. A lot. Okay look, I ran out of words, but the fact is...suck is a very powerful word...it means a lot to people who appreciate it. **(If you appreciate the word suck, say aye!)**

"Yeah. He looked all embarrassed and stuff, but I knew he was going to tell mum"

"When was this?"

"Just before Fang came back"

"Oh...so did he tell mum?"

Ella sighed "No. Iggy spoke to him so now he just looks at us funny. But Iggy's always twitchy, like at any second he's going to scream at mum and say it himself."

"But why are you guys fighting?" I asked.

"Yeah" Katlyn came back in with orange juice...when did she leave? Maybe she's magical..."I don't see how Iggy wanting to say how much he loves you can start a fight"

Ella was quiet. I took this as an opportunity to drink some OJ. "Maybe I don't lo...I mean I do...but maybe we should just slow down"

I swallowed the juice and when it was safe, I decided to speak. "What do you mean? You guys are perfect for each other and what do you mean slow down? How much slower can you guys get?"

"Max, stop it! You don't understand any of this. Soon you and Fang are going to fight too, no relationship is perfect."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "What happened exactly? Mum's new friend can't be the only thing that's causing this, right?"

"It's personal"

"Oh come on Ella!"

"I missed my period, Max" Ella turned away from Katlyn and me. The colour drained from my face and I forgot about my cake and OJ as the room flooded with silence. Ella was...no she couldn't be. I gulped "Are you...pregnant?" I asked, afraid of the answer.

She shook her head no and I sighed in relief. "Not anymore" She said.

"Huh?" both Katlyn and I exclaimed.

Tears filled Ella's eyes. "I don't want to talk about it"

"You mean you _were _pregnant" I asked quietly. Katlyn put her hand on Ella's shoulder. "What happened?"

Ella turned away, tears flooding down her cheeks and a sob escaped her lips. "I haven't told mum or Iggy, but...I went to Mr Finn" (Mr Finn was our family doctor; he's also one of our most trusted friends.) "And I asked for an abortion" Ella's voice cracked at the end and I watched my sister break down in front of me. We all went quiet. No wonder Ella was taking this the way she was, she was no killer. I'm not against...that word, but I'm not for it either. To be honest I never really thought about it. Now I see the affect it has on my sister and I guess...she really had no choice. Mum didn't know about the relationship, Ella wasn't ready for a baby and Iggy would've killed himself. Ella had to make the decision by herself and it was a bloody hard one. "You did the right thing" I whispered to her. I got out of my chair and wrapped my arms around her; she stroked my hair and rubbed my back. That's Ella, never wanting to comfort herself and always worried about the effect on other people. Maybe that's how she made up her mind about her baby. Don't hurt the family, just hurt yourself and deal with it. She's playing the role of angel with broken wings.

-Fangs POV-

I patted my trousers and smoothed out my jacket. I walked out of the change room and stared at the mirror. "Gross" I muttered.

"I agree" Iggy said from behind a clothing rack. "It's way too red"

I groaned. "Igs, it's black"

He shook his head "I see red"

"And you know what I see?"

He turned around "A hot sales lady?"

"No, you moron" I walked up to him and punched his gut.

"Ow! Violence against morons, Iggy says no!"

I rolled my eyes and picked up a new suit; grey. I grimaced. I'll stick with black thank you very much. I walked back into the change room and put on my original clothes. I'll give you three guesses what colour they are, and it's not the first two, as if I would wear that...you guys have horrible minds...**(C'mon, you're thinking it! I know you are! Stop right there. That...is too far. OH OH OH! GROSS DUDE! Iggy: ...I don't get it... Me: coz you're blind. OH BUUURN! Iggy: *face-palm*)**

"Ice cream?" Iggy offered when I walked out. I nodded; we paid and walked out of the store.

"So" Igs started "Have you got a date yet?"

I sighed. "I'm not inviting you, Iggy"

He was silent for a moment and then he burst into laughter. "I didn't mean it like that...wait" He poked me in the chest "Are you saying I'm gay?"

I shrugged, but inside I was smiling. Iggy was good company. We walked in silence and then he asked again if I was taking anyone. I grunted, "Max can't go"

"Did you ask?"

"No. Mum knows and it's obvious she can't leave the house with me anymore."

Iggy went serious "So you told mum..."

"Yeah" There was something in his voice. "Why are you going to tell mum about Ella? It's a shitty idea. Mum exploded in my face."

"Oh. That sucks." **(Aye!) **

I rubbed my forehead, maybe Iggy could help me out. "I want to take Max with me when I go to college"

Wow I sounded desperate.

"She's too young for college"

"No I mean...transfer her to another school so she's closer."

"You're nuts"

So much for help...

"Just leave her alone. Visit her in the holidays, I'm sure you can live without her for..." he turned his unseeing eyes towards me.

"Four years" I muttered. Iggy paled "Well...now that's a problem" He slapped my back "Good luck with that" and then walked up to get himself a caramel coated ice cream.

I came home with my suit hanging in a plastic sheet covering. By the looks of the trashed house I'd say Max was home. I walked upstairs and placed my suit quietly on the hook at the back of my door, I didn't want Max seeing it; she'd want me to try it on and pose or something. I heard Iggy downstairs searching through the fridge, but didn't hear anything else. Quietly, I made my way down the hall to Max's room and on my way passed Ella sleeping deeply in her bed, I wonder what they did all day?

I knocked twice on Max's door and opened it a crack, peeping around it.

"Hey" I felt arms wrap around my waist and I closed the door quickly. Max was hugging me from behind and resting her head on my back. She pulled away as I turned around to face her and give her a smile, my smile that I reserved for Max. I know it sounds corny...but any guys reading this take it from me, smiling at the girls gives you wonders in return. Max's face changed to pink and she stood on her toes to kiss me. See? I got a kiss, suckers! "What were you doing?" she asked.

"Just checking where you were" I said trying to get her lips back up to mine.

"What if I was dressing up?"

Oh well there's a nice image. "Then...um...lucky me?" I answered truthfully. She hit me playfully and walked into her room, collapsing on the bed.

"So how was your top-secret-masculine day out?"

I shrugged "It was okay"

Man she was _fine. _

"What did you do?"

I smiled at her again "Top secret, baby"

She rolled her eyes and I planted a kiss on her neck as I moved my hands across her stomach. "How was your day?"

"It was okay" she mumbled into my shirt and wrapped her hands around my neck. I felt that familiar tingle down my spine and in a few other places too as she moved her hands down my back. She was killing me. I rolled on top of her and attacked her lips with so much lust and energy that I'd been saving for her all day.

She pulled away from me and I let out a groan, c'mon, I gave the girl a smile what more does she want? "Fang" she sighed "Would you tell me if something was wrong?"

I tensed. Was this about Lissa? Has she finally found out? Because I swear it didn't mean anything...

"I knew it!" she said rolling out from under me.

Crap. Crap. Crap.

"You _are _keeping something from me!"

"Max...I-"

What the hell does a guy say in this situation? Don't bash me I love you? Actually that might work...

"Ella told me." Max said glaring at me. Ah shit. Wait...Ella? What does Ella have to do with Lissa?

"Ella told you what?" I paled. Let's just hug and kiss and roll around and make babies and everything will be okay...

"Mum has a boyfriend" She whispered. I almost attacked her; she had me so worked up. I sighed in relief and hugged her tight. She pulled away and looked at me quizzically...great, what did I do now? She stepped back and continued to look at me "What was the cuddle for?"

1) That wasn't a cuddle. It was a HUG. I don't do cuddles. And 2) What? Don't people hug around here anymore?

"Um..." I was searching for an answer. I hugged you because I'm horny and you're looking exceptionally sexy right now? "Um...I'm needy?"

Oh...very good Fang.

She rolled her eyes "Well that's nice to know. Now tell me mister" she said poking my chest "Who's mum's new friend?"

"Just some guy. Geez, Max, leave the woman alone"

"Have I ever met him?"

"Yeah, he was that guy that helped mum drop off the fruits from the market"

"Oh my god..." She breathed. "I thought he was a hobo"

"Oh Max" I shook my head. "Poor poor Max"

She sat back down on the bed. "Fang" she muttered pouting "I think I need a hug"

I grinned, my specialty. I pounced on her and pinned her to the bed kissing her hungrily. "Anything else you want to know?" I said between kisses (translation: no more talking, busy making love).

"Yes..." she said licking her lips. Hey hey hey, I thought, the licking is _my_ job. I was about to go in for another long kiss and maybe a little more clothes ripping...but then she stopped me and grinned playfully. "Why did you buy yourself ice-cream and not get me anything?"

I looked at her and restrained myself from fucking her right there. "There is a reason" I said slowly too distracted by how hot she looked, she raised an eyebrow. "Okay no there isn't" I said attacking her lips.

**Iggy: You never told me Fang was that horny**

**Me: well...some things you just shouldn't know about your boyfriends. **

**Iggy: I'm. Not. GAY!**

**Me: everybody in favour of the power of the word suck and the fact that Iggy is gay or bi say AYE!**

**Iggy: no**

**Me: HELL YEAH!**

**Anyway, R&R if you love Iggy, Pandas and mangoes XD**

**..Or you're just as weird as me and really have no idea what you love but your sure it's something...**

**Iggy: *facepalm***


	13. Chapter 13

**I have a song stuck in my head and I'm processing a new idea. Like...what if talking turtles...invaded the world...eh? Eh?**

**I know its genius. **

**AND THEN THE PANDAS GET JEALOUS AND START A WAR! BUT THE TURTLES HAVE AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE THE BAMBOO STICKS CAN'T PENETRATE THROUGH THEIR SHELLS!**

**Dudes...we are on to something BIG!**

"I wasn't trying to kill him" I protested.

"Your fellow classmates watched the fight and I trust in what they say, you will be suspended for the rest of the term and I'll be discussing the situation with your parents."

"Firstly, if they were my 'fellow' classmates they wouldn't be telling you lies and secondly, the term finishes in a day" I looked at my watch "Half a day."

Still Mr Ray nodded. "I'm disappointed in you Max. I'm suspending you and that's final."

"But-"

"I've trusted you, you know better than to go around picking fights"

"I wasn't-"

"What was it Max? You see a random student and decide to release anger? It doesn't work that way. I've known you since year seven you would never do something like this, sure you'll swear in the face of teachers, break a couple of noses, ditch class, but Max you almost killed him. Do you understand? The boy was in a coma. There is a line between right and wrong and all this time I thought you knew your boundaries" Mr Ray sat back in his chair "You've crossed the line Max. Go home, I'm calling your mother and she better teach you a proper lesson."

"Mr Ray, you have to understand-"

"Go" He said glancing up slightly at me from his desk. I left just as he picked up the phone to dial my mum's mobile number.

I've mentioned the suckishness of school and everything crappy about classes, but something I didn't mention was the fact that Dylan was an ass who was messing with the wrong girl.

Today was the day before year 12 formal, so everyone came to school ready to learn (as if) but then the teachers announced that instead of learning, us students will have to break our backs performing child labor and doing the boring preparations that were supposed to be done by the teachers.

Great, right?

That was problem one of the day. Now problem two...

-_Flashback_-

His fingers ran through my hair and his hand was up under my shirt. Oh it was heaven, except for the fact that I as pressed up against his car door, but since he was the one pressed up against me...I guess it was still heaven.

Fang crushed his mouth against mine and pressed his tongue to my bottom lip, sucking gently and begging for an entry. I moaned and automatically parted my lips, our tongues wrestled with each other and Fang moved closer and connected his hips to mine. He grinded into me and I heard him groan loudly into my mouth. I knew he wanted me, hell I could feel him hardening and pressing into my stomach. We were in the school car park. Yeah, I know, nice job Max, go ahead and have a full blown make-out session with the hottest guy on the planet...in the shittest place on earth.

Whatever so the location wasn't that great, but it was empty and we made sure we were behind the car.

Fang didn't have school today, lucky bastard; he's finished high school, which makes him an even luckier bastard. He was just driving me to school and then he was going home. At least that was the plan...

Fang moaned and kissed my neck. "C'mon" he said in what had to be the sexiest voice EVER. "Get the car."

Okay, what the hell?

I moved my hands along his waist and felt his member become harder against me. "Gotta go to class" speaking in sentences seemed to be so hard for us right now.

"But I love you" He said grinding his hips into mine. I caught his mouth and kissed him hungrily "Me too"

He pulled his lips away and slid my shirt up slightly. "If you love me" he roamed his hands underneath my bra. "Then get inside the car."

I froze. Shit. "Fang, I'm not ready for this"

"Crap" he chuckled burying his face in my neck. I looked down and saw the bulge in his pants. I got nervous and pushed him away a little, but he gripped my sides and pulled me towards him. "Sorry" he breathed.

I nuzzled into his neck, "Me too."

He kissed my jaw gently and played with my hair, "When you're ready...let me know" he said with a slight laugh. I knew I was killing him, I was killing myself too. I mean...who wouldn't shake and buckle in the knees at the thought of Fang shirtless lying on top of you pressing his hips down and grinding into yours...

He noticed my silence as I imagined all the things I could do to him when I was 'ready'. Yes, naughty Max. I played with his hair (sexiest hair by the way) and he kissed me softly. "Don't worry about it. I can wait." He said. I turned to him and was about to attack his lips, coz like...it's Fang, who wouldn't? But then a certain someone had to park their car beside us.

I mean they have a whole freaking car park and they just _had _to choose the spot where two people were about to have some dirty fun. I wanted to smash their face into a bloody wall.

The person stepped out of his car and Fang kissed me suddenly.

"We've got company" I told him.

"I know." He growled and tightened his arms around me.

"Max?" A voice came from behind us. I felt Fang deepen the kiss, but it wasn't soft and passionate, it was angry and filled with desperation. Dylan walked around the car and Fang let go of me staring into my eyes with warning.

"Max?" he called again. I turned and saw him at the foot of the car with a bag slung over his shoulder and eyes like daggers aimed at Fang.

"Hi Dylan" I said nervously, almost certain that my lips were red and my face flushed. Dylan looked between Fang and me "Oh sorry if I'm disturbing anything" he said, but continued to walk towards us. "Aren't you going to class Max?"

"It's still too early isn't it?"

Dylan shrugged and glanced over at Fang again "Are you ready for your formal?"

Fang nodded.

Oh shit, I thought, the formal...its tomorrow! And then I remembered Fang never asked me to go with him. That stung a bit, but I understood the situation with mum and everything...and besides, shiny dresses and make-up isn't my thing.

I reached for Fangs hand and squeezed his fingers gently. He turned to me, "Maybe I should go now" I said.

I saw Dylan smile "okay then" he said "I'll meet you at the gates"

As soon as he left Fang sighed and pinned my wrists to the car again. He smiled down at me and planted a kiss on my mouth. I heard a moan escape from my lips and he chuckled against me, he pulled away and opened the door to the front seat. "See you at home." He said turning the key in the ignition. I bit my lip; I didn't want him to leave "Stay?" I asked him quietly stopping his hand from turning the key any further.

He kissed me longer this time. "Your boyfriends waiting"

I put a hand on his chest and pushed him back a little "excuse me?" I said fiercely glaring at him.

He smirked at me "Romeo is at the gates my dear Juliet."

I hit him across the face. "He's not my boyfriend you asshole"

"Really?" Fang cocked an eyebrow "I just thought since he's so happy around you when I'm gone and you guys are in the same classes and you've got the same formal and everything..." He drifted off and I gaped at him. He thought I had asked Dylan to go with me as my date!

"No way!" I yelled at him. Fang's smirk didn't disappear off his face; he shrugged and restarted the car. "You really think that?" I asked slowly.

"I really think that" He answered not looking at me.

"Well you're an idiot"

"Did you or didn't you?"

"Of course I didn't! Why the hell would I? He can't even wrestle, which is a really big turn off..." I muttered the last bit.

"Good" He said kissing me. I felt him smile against me "Cos I think he wants to ask you"

I froze. Well then...that's a problem. "I'll turn him down" I said.

Fang chuckled again "sure you will"

I caught Fangs lips and kissed him hungrily "Go home...moron"

He laughed. "I love you"

I never got used to that. My heart jumped and I just had to kiss him one more time. "Yeah whatever, me too" I said jumping out of the car. Fang looked at me with a hurt expression and pouted. He's so cute when he does that I just wanna pounce on him. Okay...I never said that.

"I'm kidding" I said laughing. He winked at me and I saw him drive away as I walked to where Dylan was waiting.

Dylan pushed himself off the fence and we walked beside each other into the empty school. Some younger kids were walking around probably worried they were already late. "So you and Nick, huh?" Dylan spoke suddenly.

"Maybe" I said.

"He's not your brother is he?"

"Technically no"

"Well that's good...otherwise it'll be kind of weird."

I didn't answer him; I was focusing on a younger girl, probably a seventh grader, picking up her books that she had dropped. I remember when I was a klutz like that. Mm good times...

"So how long has it been?" Dylan snapped me out of my thoughts.

"How long has what been?"

"You and Nick?"

"Oh um...A while, maybe a short while." Gee I was making sense today.

"Oh?" Dylan asked in that way people ask when they don't believe you or when they have something horrible to point out that people don't EVER want ever...like right now.

"What?" I asked in the way that means "Go away moron, you're tap dancing on my last nerve and if you don't scat I'll smash your face into a freaking wall"

"You live with him right?"

"Uh-huh" hell I do. And he sleeps in my bed _bitch _so you better lay off.

"You know his history don't you?"

"He has a history? Doesn't that make him sound old?"

"He's using you, Max"

I rolled my eyes. You're not one to talk.

"Tell me how many girls he brings home in a week or how many times he's drunk in less than 48 hours, or maybe how many times he leaves home and comes back all moody."

"What are you getting at?" I've counted, I've seen, I've heard.

"He isn't right for you. You're just going to get hurt."

"Shut up" I growled.

"I don't think I should. I'm warning you. He sleeps with anything in a skirt, don't trust him Max"

"He's changed"

Dylan shook his head. "There was someone that used to go to our school, she dropped out in year ten and she's about Nick's age now."

"Be quiet"

"There are rumours going around"

I didn't say anything. People were gathering in the school grounds now.

"Her twin brother just graduated with Nick and he's been talking."

I didn't speak.

"Nick was sleeping with his sister, her name is Lissa"

I got up. "I don't give a damn about her name!"

"It was recent. He's been sleeping with people behind your back."

I sent my fist plummeting down onto his chest and I heard the air escape him with an _oof. _My other fist connected with his nose and a crack erupted through my ears as his nose shattered. He stepped back, swaying and holding his bloody nose, people began to crowd around us and get a view of the fight.

"You don't say shit about Nick! Got it?"

Dylan shook his head. Idiot. "I'm only trying to help you."

"I don't need your fucking help!" I slammed my fist into his jaw and heard another crack. I'll make this guy break; he'll feel everything that's going on inside me. Fang'll never do that...never...he loves me damn it! I rocketed my fists down on Dylan faster than I thought was possible. He fell hard onto the concrete ground and didn't move, blood soaked through his shirt and hair; still I sat on his chest and gripped the collar of his shirt yelling words even I didn't understand. I sent the final blow to his temple and was pulled away by Mr Ray. I heard the students screaming and everybody yelling how horrible I was, some were cheering for reasons that were unknown to me. I heard the noise, yes, but all I saw was the motionless body of Dylan soaking in his own blood and being helped by the school nurses. And the worst bit? What he was saying made sense, I was actually considering it.

-_End Flashback-_

I walked home, this time I actually knew where I was going and I was a lot more aware of the creepy drunken dudes. I got home and knocked on the door twice, when I got no answer I searched through my bag for the keys mum gave me just in case of emergency. I inserted the key and unlocked the door. Sighing in exhaustion and anger at the day's work I threw my bag into my room, only to find a certain someone sleeping in my bed.

Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Except Fang is no Goldilocks...

I walked over to him and stared at his sleeping face; so unbelievably cute. No joke. As if this guy could possibly be the person Dylan was talking about. I traced the creases in Fang's brow with my finger and watched how they relaxed at my touch.

"Mm..." I heard him breathe, he opened his eyes and stared at me curiously and then smiled his amazing smile and propped himself up on his elbow. "What are you doing home? I just dropped you off."

I shrugged and made my way to the bathroom.

"Hey!" Fang shouted after me. I heard him throw back the covers and jump out of bed; I stopped when he wrapped his arms around me. "So?" he asked "Are you going to run or tell me how your 2 hour day was?"

"Run?"

"Wrong" He kissed my neck and gasped. Damn, I thought, I guess he saw the blood.

"What the hell..." He muttered as he turned me around and examined my uniform. He glared at me "What the heck happened?"

"Fight" I muttered. Usually in these situations Fang would laugh and tell me how much of a trooper I am. But this time he kind of just stared at me.

"What do you mean a fight?" He said lifting my arms and checking my face. "What did you do, get shot?"

"No"

"Well?" he looked at me expectantly.

"Fist fight"

"Fist fight?" he repeated. "With who?"

"A person who didn't fight back."

"Dylan?"

Wow...he's good. Or was it just the fact that Dylan can't throw a punch at me? Meh, we might never know.

"It was freaking Dylan wasn't it?" Fang was getting angry. "Who threw the first punch?"

"I did" I paused "And I threw all the others too..."

"You're stupid, Maximum"

"Thanks" I grunted and walked to the bathroom to wash off all the blood.

I came out of the shower and saw Fang sitting on my bed playing around with...was that my bra?

"What the hell, moron?" I said grabbing my personal item from his hands.

"What?" he asked innocently.

I muttered to myself and threw it back into my drawer. "Douche bag" I said to him.

He rolled his eyes. "So now _I'm _the douche bag?"

"You've always been a douche bag"

"I'm not the one that got suspended because I bashed a guy half to death."

He had a point there...

I stared at him, was he really angry with me? I thought he hated Dylan. To my surprise, Fang stretched out his arms and gestured for me to sit in his lap. I did and he held me tightly pressed to his chest. "Why'd you do it?"

"I was angry"

"Because?"

"He made me angry"

"I can see that" Fang grunted. "What did he do?"

"Said stuff"

"Like what?"

I hesitated, but Fang kissed me gently and told me to tell him. He even said please. I didn't want to say it, I wasn't comfortable saying it. I don't believe Dylan and Fang would never do that to me...would he?

"Max? What did he say?"

I looked up at Fang "He wanted to ask me out and bugged me about it." I shrugged, "I don't like him"

I saw Fang smile at me, "Thanks, that means a lot"

I pushed Fang down onto the bed and kissed him with everything I had. Trying to wash away everything that happened today, trying to believe it wasn't true. I loved Fang and I knew he would never do something like that.

Would he?

**Ugh**

**That chapter was horrible. Ok so I know it wasn't that great with the whole discovery of Lissa and whatever, but she'll be back. **

**If you guys have any ideas PLEASE throw them at me. Like seriously, I don't care if they wack me in the face just chuck 'em. **

**OMG you probably don't even care, but right now is hilarious at my house. My dad is trying to pronounce schnitzel. The funniest thing ever.**

"He said...you were sleeping with people behind my back"

Fang didn't answer me and I felt my eyes sting "it was true wasn't it?"

"Not behind your back"

I pulled away and glared at him. "But you did it!"

He shook his head and I waited for an explanation, when he wouldn't give me one I got out of his arms and stood in front of him. "Her name was Lissa and her brother was talking about it at school" I said "Dylan told me and now I know he wasn't lying!"

The tears were forming in my eyes and I knew Fang had seen them because his eyes softened and he tried to comfort me, I shrugged him off.

He sighed "what else did Dylan say, because it's obvious he hasn't told you all of it"

"Nothing. He said you're an asshole and I shouldn't trust you because you're only going to hurt me. He was damn right!"

Fang shook his head. "I'd never hurt you, Max"

"Yeah? Then what do you suppose this is doing to me? Making me happy? I'm not an idiot Fang"

"Do you remember when you turned me down?" His voice was pained and I remembered it very well. "I ran didn't I?"

I nodded.

"That's where I went. To her house. And that was it, Max, that was the last time I saw her. Actually that was the last time I saw anyone." He paused and walked over to me. "It was just at the beginning and I thought you hated me. What was I meant to do?"

"Not sleeping with her would've been a good start"

He scratched the back of his head and sighed. "I give up. It wasn't behind your back and it wasn't because I didn't love you. If anyone was hurt by this it was me, I've wanted to tell you, do you know how much I regret that?"

"You didn't do it because you were bored of me?"

"I hadn't even spent an hour with you in my arms, how the hell could I be bored of you?"

"And you didn't do it because I turned you down when you wanted to have sex with me?"

"Max, it was a long time ago. All I was able to do was kiss you before you turned away. You weren't even sure you liked me."

"So it was my fault" I said, I felt guilty, hell the guy tried so hard with me and that was how I repaid him.

"Not your fault" He said kissing me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer while kissing him fiercely, I wanted to say sorry but I didn't know how.


	14. Fangs formal part I

**WOOOOOOOOOW 97 reviews! guys...I think I love you!**

**Alot! like super duuuuuper lovey dovey feelings here!**

**iggy: ...ew**

**ok so dont take it like that...if you want to, thats cool. but uh...yeah. maybe we should just chill. *breathing***

**omg its almost at 100! **

**iggy: *facepalm* **

**If we get to 100...I'm gonna party so hard, and I'll give each of you cyber cookies and party hats and mangoes! *crazy dance* Sorry this chapter is so short...I'm gonna do Fangs formal in parts, cos like...I'm just cool like that XD**

**Anyway, enjoy this ridiculously short chapter. Again, I am so sorry. **

Fang's Formal Part I

It was the night of Fangs formal. I was in my room throwing on some shoes when Fang came in wearing the cutest un-Fang-like suit in the world. I was leaning over my knees and tying up my shoes when he walked in, so you can imagine how stupid I looked as I gaped at his sexy body standing in my doorway.

He chuckled at me and slid his hands into his pockets. "That good, eh?"

I nodded and gained composure so that I could finish tying up my laces. "Are you going now?" I managed to squeak. I was certain that my face was red.

"Nope," He said walking over to me.

Oh please don't do that...

"I'll be leaving in a couple of minutes. What are you getting ready for?" He asked looking down at my nervous fingers fiddling with the knots.

"Um...Mums boyfriend is coming over." I said sitting up and facing him. The air was knocked out of me as I realised how close he was and how gorgeous he smelt and how sexy he looked in that suit. Suddenly I was jealous of the girl who was going to be dancing in his arms tonight. I wanted to be that girl. I realised the uncomfortable silence between us was dragging out for too long.

"Have fun tonight" I said.

"I'm not leaving yet"

"Yeah but when you do...just...yeah, have fun."

He came closer and sat next to me wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into his side. He kissed my jaw and my eyes shot towards the door making sure it was closed, it was and I relaxed into Fangs arms. He continued to kiss me slowly and his arms moved along my waist and below the elastic of my jeans. He pressed his lips to my ear "I can't have fun without you." He whispered.

I felt a smile dance along my lips and I jumped on top of him pinning his shoulders down to the bed. I attacked his lips as his hands played the piano across my back making me shiver and crave more of him with every touch.

"Fang!" I heard mums voice come from the door.

"Shit" Fang chuckled. I looked towards the door nervously and heard mums footsteps walk past into Fangs room. I suddenly attacked Fangs lips for the last time and made sure he was left wanting more of me. He was. I jumped off him and he reached out to grab hold of my waist but mum barged into the room with a camera in her hands and an evil smile on her face. "Say cheese!" she cried.

I jumped into Fangs arms and wrapped my arms around his neck as the camera flashed. "Come down stairs Fang the party starts in three minutes!" Mum screamed as she ran out of the room. Fang turned to me and pinned me to the bed, this time he was on top. "Damn I wish you could come" he said in the sexiest voice anyone could ever muster.

"Go" I said with a smile as he went in for another kiss. "Have fun, I'll call you."

He smiled and walked out of the room. I sat up in the bed and watched his car pull out of the driveway and down the road. He waved in my general direction and then I heard my phone beep. I opened it to find a text from him it read:

"I'll save the last dance for you."

**Tell me what you think. **

**Oooooh and I'm getting a bird in like three or something weeks, if you guys have any names please feel free to offer them up ^.^**

**It might be white, so I was thinking of calling it Fang, cos it's the complete opposite of Fang. That makes no sense...but for some reason it does...in a way.**

**Well byez!**


	15. Fangs formal part II

**...Don't kill me. I know I haven't been alive for a while, but I'M BACK!**

**It's funny actually, this whole time I had the chapters written down...I just had to type them up you know?**

**Iggy: That's not funny.**

**Well...at least Iggy is still with us. **

Fang's formal part II

"Do I look okay?" Mum asked in an urgent tone, she was playing with her hair and smoothing out her dress.

I sighed "Mum you look totally young."

She looked up at me "So is this too casual?" she took a deep a breath "Oh no I should've worn the other dress! Oh Max this is a disaster he's going to be here any minute."

I stared at her seriously. My mother, my logical matured mother, was freaking out over her dress. "You look fine."

She took out a small mirror from her pocket, this shocked me. My mum was acting like a teenager and testing her lipstick in the mirror. Suddenly she stopped and took a closer look at her reflection, she gasped. "Max! My lipstick how's my lipstick?"

I took her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. "If he really loves you, he'll accept you no matter what."

Oh Maximum...what the hell are you doing giving your mother boyfriend advice?

She nodded seriously and took my hands "You're right sweetheart. You're absolutely right."

"I am?" and then I caught myself. Act in control because your mother obviously isn't. "Yeah mum" I said pushing my shoulders back. "I'm right."

My mum looked at me. "So I look okay?"

I sighed and rubbed my forehead. "You look hip"

"I look...hip?" My mum repeated.

I laughed so hard.

"Hip...I'm hip...yes, HIP!" My mother muttered to herself as she walked towards the door. "Super hip. I'm a hot sexy mama."

And that was my cue to leave.

I walked upstairs to Ella's room because Fang was gone and I needed company. I knocked twice on the door and heard a grunt. I scrunched up my face and was about to leave when a messy haired Ella opened the door. I looked over her shoulders and saw Iggy adjusting his shirt...oh brother...that's sick.

"Hi Max" Ella smiled at me "Need anything?"

"Yes" I said still looking nervously between the lovers. EW...lovers. "Mum needs a pep talk"

"About what?"

"Boyfriends" I said rolling my eyes and sitting beside Iggy on the bed.

"Max" He growled at me. "I was having a _moment._"

"Yup" I said "I know all about your moment"

He straightened up nervously. "No you don't" He said.

"Uh-huh"

"Nuh-uh"

"Uh-huh!"

Ella put her hand over Iggy's mouth so that he couldn't protest against me. We were still kids at heart; I do believe we have a right to argue about insignificant matters.

"So" Ella sighed. "Is Jeb here yet?"

"No, but mum is chucking a spazz anyway."

"I see" Iggy said nodding thoughtfully.

"No you don't" both Ella and I said together. Iggy grunted at our lame blind joke and then all of us stopped at the sound of mum chucking a fit.

"Oh my god! HI Jeb! I'm so glad you could make it, this is my daughter Max and" there was a pause as she realised we weren't there. "One moment" she said. "Max, Ella, Iggy down stairs this instant!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Iggy sat there with a shocked face. "Since when do women scream like that?" he turned to Ella's general direction "Why can't you scream like that?" He said with a smirk.

Ella blushed and I faked being sick all over Iggy's shoes.

One by one we ventured down the stairs and greeted Jab with...well...with as much warmth as we could muster, since he was kind of causing our mother to hyperventilate in her little corner if shame.

And there you have it. My mother...is in love. Wow. It was all I could do not to shake at the thought.

**Wow, I can't believe I forgot to write this at the beginning of the chapter...I feel so ashamed. **

**I GOT MY BIRD! **

**I know. Awesome. Uh huh, yeah, she kicks ass! So she's a Cockatiel, white pearl pied if any of you are interested. We named her Skye...wait for it...SKYE RIDE! **

**Iggy:* Yawn***

**Haha, Iggy is just acting uninterested because she ate the paper we used to write our convos on. It's all deteriorated around the edges now...**


	16. Fangs formal part III

Fang's formal part III

-Fangs POV-

The music exploded through the speakers. Lights flashed and bodies melted into bodies, hips against hips, lips against lips. What was I doing? I was sitting by the refreshments table, eating and drinking anything within reach. Why? Because my name is Fang, I'm hungry and I need a hug from Max...

The sound of high pitched laughter caught my attention and I scanned the crowds of grinding hips. The disco lights danced around the room and a shining flash of flame red hair emerged from the crowd.

I reached for another chip and proceeded to leave the table for a coke. The red head continued to advance. Long shining artificial nails wrapped around my bicep. "Hey there gorgeous."

My blood ran cold and if the lights weren't so bright my face would've been visibly pale. Her arms wrapped around my waist and she gave me a tight hug.

"What are you doing here?" I asked through gritted teeth. I was trying so hard to restrain myself from running. I didn't want to make the same mistake with her twice. Especially now that Max and I were running smoothly for a start.

Lissa ran her vulture like talons across my stomach, "What? Can't a former student visit her old school?"

"Can you let go of me?"

She removed her arms and I turned to face her. She smiled at me, but I didn't feel any of her warmth.

"What's the _real _reason you came?" I asked keeping my face cold.

She shrugged "There was a guy and now said guy is no longer there. What about you, did you invite anyone?"

I wanted to say I invited Max, just so she could back off. "I was just leaving."

She pouted "Really? So soon?" she took my hand and dragged me towards the table I was just at. "Wanna drink?"

"No thanks"

"Nonsense." She poured two cups of coke and offered me one. I shook my head. "Oh come one. Stop being so tense. You gotta loosen up!"

I pulled away from her and made my way to the exit. It was for one second. One stupid second. Lissa ran after me and pushed the drink into my hand.

"I want to say I'm sorry. For the other day." She looked at me with such...genuine eyes. I should've just turned away. "Please?" She said with tears in her eyes. "Can you forgive me? I don't want to lose you...as a friend, you know?"

And she looked so genuine.

All I did was turn around for one second. One second was all it took for her to build up that face, and I believed her.

"Really? You're sorry?"

She nodded. I smiled. And I drank the damn coke. Like I said, I turned around for just that second. That's all it takes for a person to spike your drink and put on an act. The room started to spin and I saw Lissa smile through the fake liquid crystals dripping from her cheeks. I was about to fall I think because she reached out and grabbed me. I don't know what she said to me; all I know is that one second was the key to the biggest mistake of my life.

I woke up in Max's arms. Her fingers running through my hair and down my chest. I felt her body pressed up against my naked side and the soft feathery fabric tickling my bare skin. I felt the bed bounce as she pushed up onto her elbow and kissed me. She smelt of genetically enhanced roses. Like a big paddock of flowers and honey. Too many flowers for my taste. And then I understood, that's not right, I know Max's scent anywhere. This wasn't hers. "Hey Nick. Someone called for you last night."

Her voice shattered my ears. Not Max. I gritted my teeth and squeezed my eyes shut, begging for this moment to pass, for all this to be a dream. Although I already know it isn't. Maybe last night's dream wasn't a dream either. I dreamt I was holding Max in my arms, kissing her and making sure her first time wasn't so painful. The only problem is that now I know it wasn't Max I was kissing.

I threw off the blankets. The bed suddenly not comfortable.

"Hey, Hey!" Lissa cried, "Where are you going? Don't you want to know who called?"

I ran my hand over my face as I searched for my clothes. My head hurt like hell, what happened last night anyway? "I hate you" I groaned.

Lissa frowned, oblivious to my comment "Some girl, I think it was your sister."

My blood ran cold. It was to be expected, Max said she's call me. Crap. I hit my head against the wall and winced as my head began to throb again. Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep hurting her?

"What did she say?" I growled at Lissa.

Lissa shrugged. "Just that she wanted to know what time you were coming home."

She smiles, for some reason I don't trust it.

"I told her you were busy and she heard you panting and moaning in the background. I heard her cry and she hung up like a baby."

I wanted to whack her.

I wanted to walk over to her and strangle her until she turned blue.

I wanted to yell at her, to cuss at her, to knock some sense into her puny brain.

I wanted to go home and hold Max in my arms and tell her I'm innocent. Even though it's quite clear I'm as guilty as Lissa.

Hell, I wish this never happened.

I was at Lissa's house, apparently she got someone to drive us here since I was a drunken clueless thing in the backseat and Lissa was too busy searching for various things she wanted to do to me.

It was about one or two in morning and mum was probably at home. But that wasn't my concern. I just wanted to get back to Max. My Max.

I took a taxi and was short on money so I ran the rest of the way home with a grumpy old driver yelling after me. I reached the front door and tested it. Locked. So I searched in my pocket for a spare key and unlocked it. When I opened it however, a sleepy Ella was rubbing her eyes lazily and standing in front of me with a cup of milk.

I put on my best smile and gave her a brotherly hug before running upstairs to check on Max.

"She's not here" Ella called as I tried to silently open the door. "She left a couple of hours ago. Maybe more."

I swallowed nervously and turned to Ella who was looking at me with steel eyes. She shook her head in disappointment. "Go take a shower."

I lowered my head like a beat up puppy. She knew. Of course she knew. Max never cries and when she does, Ella is the first to know why.

After my shower I walked down stairs. Ella was lying down on the couch waiting for me. I sat. She turned to me and we stayed like that in silence.

"Where is she?" I whispered guilty.

"With Dylan"

My heart wrenched, but I knew I couldn't ever feel that kind of anger with her. I was unfaithful and she left to find a guy that cared. I can't blame her.

"Why'd you do it, Fang?"Ella growled at me.

I wanted to tell her I was drugged, that the bitch who did it didn't know anything about me or Max.

"I knew about Lissa before all this."

I flinched at the name.

"You just can stop hurting her can you? She loves you and what do you give her in return? I night with _her._" She shook her head at me and got up to go back to bed. "You're breaking her heart, Fang"


	17. Fangs formal part III cont

-Max's POV-

Ella took me to Dylan's house in her car. I felt ashamed with all the tears running down my face and the red puffy eyes. I looked horrible when I got to Dylan's and to add to all the inconvenience, it was eleven thirty. So Dylan's parents were asleep when I knocked on the door. Dylan's five year old sister answered the door as Ella backed out of the car park. May, Dylan's sister, thought I was a zombie. She told me she wanted to run upstairs, get her cricket bat and smash my face in. I liked May. She was really smart for a five year old. I don't know what she was doing up at eleven thirty but she offered me milk and cookies that she said she reserved especially for Santa, and went up stairs to get Dylan.

The injuries weren't that serious she said, and he forgave me too...so that was nice. But I still felt horrible, especially now that what he said was true. I felt the tears threaten to escape but I blinked them back and drank some milk.

Dylan walked down stairs with May holding his hand. He had a bandage over his nose, across his face and one over his chest wrapping around his shoulder. My eyes softened as they met his.

"I'm so sorry" I murmured "I thought...I was just...I'm so sorry."

May gave me a big smile and Dylan sat across the table from me. She tugged on Dylan's shorts. "She said sorry, big brother. I told you she no hates you."

Dylan blushed. He told his sister about me? Well...that's sweet I guess.

"Go back to sleep, May" He told her. She nodded and gave Dylan and I hugs before skipping up the stairs to bed.

We sat in silence.

"So" Dylan said quietly, not looking at me. "Why are you here so late?"

"Just wanted to say sorry"

"For waking me up?" He chuckled.

"Oh that too..."

"It's ok, really, but I gotta say..." he pressed his chest and winced "You throw pretty strong punches for a girl."

"I'm really sorry, Dylan. I swear if I could do anything..."

He shook his head. I hated owing people.

"Just one thing" he said

"What is it?"

"I'm kind of thirsty...and you and your cookies are making me hungry."

I got up and poured him a glass with some cookies on the side. I walked over to his side of the table and put them down in front of him.

"Why aren't you at Nick's formal?" he asked "I thought he might've asked you or something..."

I shook my head as his betrayal threatened to make its way into my memory. "He wanted to go alone" I said.

"Are you okay? You sound a little strange."

"I'm fine"

"Sure?"

I nodded.

"Ok well...not to be rude or anything, but have you got a ride home?"

"Actually I was thinking maybe I could stay the night?"

He smiled "Hell, that'll be awesome! Like old times" He chuckled and got out of his seat. "There's a spare room just two doors from mine. You could stay there."

"Thanks"

We walked upstairs and he showed me the room. It was pretty plain, just a bed and a few rows of drawers. I smiled and put my bag on the bed as I searched for my night clothes.

Dylan lingered at the door. I turned to him "Can I change here or in the bathroom?"

"Anywhere"

He still stood beside the door. I got nervous and I wasn't really my assertive self tonight to tell him to leave, so I picked up my clothes and tried to walk past him to the bathroom.

"Max?" he said quietly as I tried to brush past him. I turned to him and he shocked me by engulfing me in a tight hug. I thought maybe it'll hurt his chest to have me pressed tightly to him so I tried to pull back, but he held me tighter. "It's ok, it doesn't hurt if it's you I have in my arms" he whispered.

I gasped at his statement. He knows I'm with Fang doesn't he? And then I caught myself. Fang and I...what were we now? I melted into Dylan's comforting arms. They were the strong protective shield that Fang once provided. The thought of him hurt and I nuzzled deeper into Dylan's chest. Maybe he wasn't as good a hugger as Fang, but I was at a tender stage tonight and the feeling of his arms so similarly positioned on my back as Fang's, well, my chipped heart couldn't take it and so big strong Maximum buried her face into Dylan's chest and cried.


	18. Our first day alone

-Fang's POV-

First day of the holidays. The light streamed in through the windows, I don't know who opened them, what crazy evil person would possibly wake me up at this time? I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock 6:59.

5...4...3...2...1

The sound of the stupid alarm clock seemed to shatter my ears. I reached out and sent my fist plummeting towards the clock with the horrid fate. Bits of glass and plastic and springs and wires flew across the room and I buried my face in my pillow.

But no. Smashing a clock wasn't enough for me. I got up and held between my hands the glass cup that I had used last night to get a drink. I was angry. I was ashamed. I was filled with regret and all the emotion was overflowing inside of me. I screamed and threw the cup at my wall, it shattered before my eyes—just like my fragile heart. I stared at the chipped glass and exhaled deeply.

I loved her.

I picked up the closest solid object I could reach and held it in my trembling hands before flying into a rage and catapulting both it and myself into the wall. It shattered. You have no idea how amazing it felt to see something break like that. It's not every day you get to see the state of your soul lying on the floor at your feet.

I was going insane. I knew I was, but I couldn't help it.

I loved her. As a sister, as a friend, as the only person in the world I could open up to. The word 'girlfriend' didn't even do her importance to me justice. I needed her back, like the moon needs the sun. Like...a scared little kid needs his blanket...

-Max's POV-

Dylan's mum had gone shopping with May to buy a fairy dress for a dress up party she has tomorrow afternoon. I was sitting at Dylan's breakfast table staring at my phone. Was he going to call? Was he going to explain? Because right now all I wanted was an explanation. Why? Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he say something...anything?

"Hey you." Dylan's voice broke me out of my thoughts before they got too horrible.

"Hi" I smiled up at him. He had just woken up and was scanning the house.

"Have you seen my parents?"

"Your mum went shopping and your dad just left for work."

"Crap. Did they see you?"

"Uh...yes, why?"

He scratched his head nervously "cos, you're a girl and you're kind of in my house...at night" I saw his face turn crimson. I guess the heat in my cheeks was a sign I was red too.

"They were fine." I said putting my phone in my pocket.

"Were you expecting a call?"

"No. I mean yes, but no..."

"You're not leaving now are you?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No" He muttered. "If my parents are fine with you...then you could stay and we could hang out or something."

I laughed at him "Really Dylan? _Really?_"

He laughed too "What?"

I shrugged "Hang out?"

"Well...yeah"

I shook my head "Dylan, Dylan, Dylan..." I mused.

"What? What did I do?"

"Nothing" I laughed "Let me call my mum and see if it's ok."

A brilliant smile lit up his face. "Yes!" he laughed and shot his fist into the air in triumph. I saw him wince at the sudden action and I smiled softly at his childish enthusiasm. He went up stairs to get ready and I dialled home. I heard someone pick up the phone and at the sound of his 'Hello' my confidence died and my voice resumed to a squeak.

"Who's this?" he asked into the phone. His voice sounded dry and husky, in some ways it sounded dead and emotionless. Then again...that was Fang.

"It's me" I said nervously. Part of me wanted to murder him, the other part wanted to run home and sit in his lap as he played with my hair. There was a nervous silence before he spoke.

"I...don't know what to say, Max. I can't really function okay right now."

I bit lip. Does he know how much pain he caused me?

"Fang?"

"Maybe you should talk to Ella."

"I'm going somewhere with Dylan today"

Silence.

"Just tell mum or Ella for me."

Still he didn't speak.

"That's about it I guess..." I was about to hang up because my eyes were starting to sting. I felt as if I was about to implode on myself. "Bye Fang"

"Don't" he managed to croak "Don't hate me."

I felt a tear ride down my cheek. "Bye Fang"

"Cos I don't hate you. I love you, Max"

"I'm going now."

"Promise me something?"

I didn't answer.

"You'll come back won't you?"

"It won't change anything if I did." I hung up just as Dylan walked back down stairs with a smile and in complete oblivion to my presently pathetic state. Did that mean we were finished? Fang and I. Because deep down there was always a part of me that thought that would never be possible.

-Ella's POV-

"I told you I didn't want you to tell mum!"

"I didn't!"

"You were planning on it."

"I was _thinking _it."

"Exactly! That means—"

I heard a knock on my door and Fang's head poked through. He looked tired and sick. His eyes were all red but they were surrounded by purple rings—the obvious signs of insomnia. His hair was messy, it was always messy, but this kind of messy was the bad kind.

"Max called." He grunted.

Emotionless. Dead. But inside he was beating himself up. Eating at every little scrap, half chewed piece of happiness he still had and trying to cling onto it with dear life. Both Iggy and I fell silent, our previous argument forgotten in the quiet.

"You spoke to her?" I asked nervously. Fang was sleep talking last night. Fang doesn't usually sleep talk, but from what I gathered out of his mumblings, if he ever saw Max again he would worship her for the rest of his worthless life.

"She said she was going out with Dylan. She wanted to let you know."

I nodded. Something else had gone down too but I didn't want to ask him, he looked horrible and broken and I'm sure any reminder of why he was in that state would send him into a rage...or maybe just a sob fest.

"Hey, Fang" Iggy started,

Fang turned to him.

"I need to ask you a question..."

"What?"

"Is the reason Max hates you so much because you like coke?"

"She doesn't hate me."

"Trust me dude, she freaking hates you—"

I closed Iggy's mouth before his spinal column got turned to dust by Fang.

"To be honest," He started and I could see him trying to cover up the pain. "Max has every reason to hate me, but now she's obviously found someone who can help her cope with...everything. And as long as she's not broken, then I'm happy." He was everything but happy.


	19. Fridgeless

I didn't want to go home.

I did.

I didn't...ok so maybe I do...but I don't...but I miss my fridge...you understand, right?

I mean...it's the holidays...and if you don't have a fridge things get scary. Like maybe you miss the fridge so bad you start dreaming of it in your sleep and it's opening its doors to you...and you just want to go in and take a couple of snacks from its ever so welcoming coolness but you can't cos what if the fridge did something _horribly_ wrong? Like...gave the microwave a hot look...no...It made _kettle _babies with the microwave. Would you forgive it for sharing its wire cable with someone else? Or would you never ever forgive it and go look for comfort with the oven? Or would you ditch it for a while and then go back to its lovely open doors and fling then open and cry and just sit there while it offers you cake and juice?

I mean...I _really _miss my fridge whose name might just happen to start with an F...and end with a G...and...It's Fang okay. I miss Fang!

But I also miss my fridge too...Dylan's isn't that great...it has carrots, I mean I like carrots...but I like cake too. You know what I mean? No? Okay. I'll stop now.

My second day at Dylan's house was...nice.

May had a dress up party at her friend's house and she was wearing the cutest little fairy dress ever. She was kneeling in front of me while I sat on a chair and did her hair, I'm not a hair person but it's different in her case. I mean five year old hair! C'mon people!

Creepy I know...

"And then Uncle Ron said he was going to get her a pony, but I said no because how are you meant to have a pony in your backyard, right Maxi?" she is the only person in the world I would allow to call me Maxi. "It's not normal. No one has a pony drinking out of a pool. All ponies drink from ponds where the duckies swim, _everyone _knows that. My friend, Casie, she has really pretty hair, she said they drink from it because it has bugs in it and the ponies want something chewy to munch on when they drink. Do you thing bugs are chewy, Maxi?"

"_Very _chewy."

"Ew!" she giggled.

"But you know what?"

"What?" she gasped. I loved her enthusiasm.

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I reckon they have a crunchy outside so when you bite it goes _crack! _And then all the gooey bits fill your mouth like mmm."

She fell into hysterics. I laughed with her as I did the last twirl of her beautiful and because it was all I could do to keep from thinking about the latest conversation with Fang...

She got up and waved her wand around "Do you think one I'll find a frog, Maxi?"

"Of course. Frogs are everywhere, but be careful they have a horrible appetite for bugs" I said poking her stomach.

"No" she giggled "I mean a Frog Prince. In the stories all the princesses got Frog Princes and they get married and live happily ever after! Don't you pay attention, Maxi?"

"Will you ever find a Frog Prince?" I mused thoughtfully. Should I tell her to give up on her dreams and wake up to reality where there are no happy ever afters? Where the man of your dreams is never really Mr Right? If you keep shoving happy stories into little kids they end up believing the world is a happy place when it isn't. But breaking a little girls' heart seemed too harsh.

"I reckon" I said swallowing the bitter truth "That your Frog Prince is going to be the ugliest green you have ever seen. But when you kiss him he'll turn into the bestest awesomest prince ever, with blue wings and the shiniest crown."

"Maxi, you're a terrible liar."

"What? What did I say?"

"Princes don't have wings! And I'm not going to kiss him! EW! Boys are yucky! I'm going to ask him nicely and put on my puppy face so he can hug me and tell me nice things, see, look at my puppy face." She flashed me the cutest Bambi eyes ever and did a little fluttering of her lashes and pouting of her lip.

"I reckon if I was the Frog Prince I'd hug you right away.'

She smiled brilliantly at me and spun around. "How do I look?"

"Like a princess." I said with a big smile.

"No silly! I'm a fairy!"

"Oh...you look like that too!"

She shook her head at me as if I failed some sort of kindergarten test. "Come on Dumb Dumb we have to leave."

I picked her up just for the hell of it and ran with her out the door and she screamed and laughed before getting into the car.

Five year olds. The generation of innocence.

"So..." Dylan mumbled as we stood watching a bajillion little kids in fairy and pirate costumes run around like mummy gave them ecstasy. "You want some fairy bread?"

"Nah, I prefer the Pooh Bear cake."

"What about this?" he held up the most normal thing on the refreshments table: a gummy bear.

"Dylan...you look like an idiot."

He was collecting them all onto a plastic plate and making it as if they were playing soccer with Pooh Bear's ear. "Little kids parties suck. If Dora doesn't shut up I'm going to throw that CD player into a wall."

"I'll help."

"Max, are you ready to leave?" Dylan's mum tapped me on the shoulder and jiggled her keys.

Home.

Going home.

Crap.

"Um...yeah. Ok." I stood up just as Dylan did too.

"I could drive her." He offered.

"Really, Dyl?" His mum sighed. "Thank you so much these kids are already a handful, I'd make it worse if I left all the other parents." She handed Dylan the keys. "Sorry Max. Thanks for staying with us though."

"Thanks for letting me, I hope I wasn't too bad."

We waved goodbye and May gave me a goodbye hug before skipping back over to a little boy in a ninja outfit. I'm guessing that's here frog. Dylan and I got into his mum's car and started the short drive back to my place. "Thank god I'm out of there!" he sighed against the wheel "It's _Dora_" he mimicked.

"Dora the explorer!" I joined in. We both laughed. "It's like a disease."

"I know! You just can't turn away from her! It's like a new way to promote world domination or something."

We travelled the rest of the way in silence except for a couple of random comments about the mental scarring of Pooh Bear.

And then my phone rang.

Dylan looked over at me when I didn't answer it. "Are you going to get that?"

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not. Knock yourself out with your cellular device." He mimicked Mrs P at school.

I searched through my bag and found my flashing phone, it was Ella.

"Hi El" I said.

Dylan turned back to the road.

"I hate you. You know that right?"

"What did I do now?"

"Well for starters...how dare you pull a Fang on me? Why the hell are you _still _out of the house? I've had to make up excuses for mum!"

"And?"

"Iggy is using your bathroom time."

"Oh. I see your problem..."

I heard her sigh "Listen Red Riding Hood, just get back home or I will honestly murder your depressed boyfriend."

At the mention of him I fell silent. Depressed? A little pang of an unfamiliar emotion surfaced within me, something I never feel with anyone besides the people I love. Guilt. I had hurt him too... a lot more than he'd hurt me by the sounds of it.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I saw a blood stained razor in his room. It's driving me nuts." Ella continued mumbling.

The feeling threatened to escape as I pictured Fang lying on his bed, emotionless, dead eyes staring at the ceiling, lost in a dark void of thought he couldn't understand. All because of me.

"Dylan's driving me home now" I muttered into the speaker.

"Good. Oh and on your way home I need you to get a couple of things..."

"Like what?"

She cleared her throat. "An alarm clock, glass cup, a china plate that looks like something mum would buy and a black IPod."

"Uh...Why?"

"Like I said, the idiot misses you."

She hung up and I stared at my phone confused, guilt stricken and filled with a sudden urge to fling open Fang's door and curl up beside his broken body, just to mend that heart I had shattered so carelessly. As for his things...I had no money anyway.

Dylan looked at me quizzically. "Oh...Mum says hi" I smiled at him.

He nodded and turned back to the road.

Home time.


End file.
